Unconventional Omegas - 1 - Russell Agnew
by KalaKitsune
Summary: Russ isn't your average Omega. He's not soft and sweet. No one would ever call him empathetic or even remotely caring. That suits him just fine. Cause what no one knows, can't hurt him!
1. Part 1 - The Russ Agnew Way

Unconventional Omegas

Omega # 1 – Russell Agnew

Part 1 – The Russ Agnew Way

Taking down a perp with faulty equipment was Russ's most favorite thing in the world. No SERIOUSLY, getting punched in the face, an absolute perfect ending to a perfect night… The black-eye, super sexy…

Russ sighed in aggravation. Being underfunded and understaffed was starting to take its toll; not just on the department as a whole, but on him personally. He'd pulled so much overtime in the last few weeks he was starting to consider the perks of just moving in and taking up residency in the bullpen. He'd slept at his desk before, had the sore muscles and stiff back now as proof. The thing is, he's not as young as he used to be, and he just didn't know if his back could handle sleeping in his rickety little desk chair for much longer.

Omegas weren't built for this, he could admit in the privacy of his own mind. And even though he was considered hardy for his gender, not Omega in the least where it seemed to count in the eyes of society, the long days and short nights were putting a strain on him mentally and physically. He felt worn thin, fatigue settling over him as he rubbed harshly at the bridge between his eyes as he let them slip closed.

He couldn't complain. No one knew. He was an unregistered Omega working for the Police… They all saw him as the gruff Beta with an Alpha complex, which he so didn't have, thanks. His suppressants did their job well enough, keeping his heats at bay and dulled the scent of Omega that he could easily cover with Beta spray. Sometimes it was easy to forget that he was lying to everyone, pretending to be something he wasn't. Those times didn't last long. Headaches and nausea from the suppressants generally happened on a weekly basis, reminding him that he'd been on them for too long at a time, staving off a heat that his body needed.

He'd been on the suppressants for three months straight… They were black-market, unsafe at best; there was no telling what the drugs were doing to his system. He worried, but there wasn't much he could do. His week of leave was cancelled for the fourth time in a row already. Whining about it wouldn't get him anywhere. A part of him, as tiny as it may be, started wondering if it was worth the pain to hide his gender from them all… The Commander and he went way back, and even she wasn't aware. Sometimes he wondered if it would be better if she did. But the larger part, the part that loved this work, loved being a detective, won out. There's no way the city would let an unmated Omega run around with a badge, even if Guziewicz was fine with it.

"I'm startin' to think I'm getting to old for this…" he murmured aloud instead of the 'hey guys, you know how I'm always so cranky and shit, well, it's cause I'm an Omega' that rested right on the tip of his tongue. He took a shaky breathe, trying to will the pounding in his head away.

"You're not old Russ, just tired!" Holly chirped as she walked by giving him an affectionate pat on the shoulder. She was far too chipper for 7:00 am than she should be, Russ thought; he cracked his eyes open to glower after her as she smiled at him over her shoulder. "A little beauty sleep and you'd be all set!"

Hah. A little… At this point he didn't even think a week would be enough.

Holly Dale was by far the most cheerful Omega he'd ever met. Yeah, most Omega had a preset disposition to be empathetic, nurturing, and all-around-nice to the point they often creeped Russ out, but she took the cake on being tooth-rottingly sweet. He'd swear up and down he'd never exhibited any of those traits, even if his mother called it bullshit.

Sometimes he wondered what it was like…to be like her… Open about her status and smiling so sweetly at everyone because her nature was so easily accepted and not looked down upon. People were pretty open-minded about Omegas in the workplace these days; a hell of a lot better than when he had first became an officer. In those days it was hard for an Alpha female, like Guzie, let alone a male Omega. Even now, most Omegas couldn't make it in law enforcement, only getting as close and involved as Holly was now as their office manager.

Speaking of Holly and the office romance that everyone seemed to have imagined overnight... Everyone in the office seemed to think he was pining and really what could he say about it. He and Holly seemed to work, if viewed from the outside, but could never work for so many reasons… Many of which he couldn't divulge aloud… so Russ stuck to the one that made the most sense to anyone who thought they knew him to a T and went with 'we work together'. It was the easiest excuse. Honestly, her perkiness, although endearing, sometimes got to him. And sometimes he'd find himself wondering what it would be like to be that kind of Omega…to be the right kind of Omega.

"Beauty sleep is for Omegas…" Russ grumbled, turning back to face his desk, a slight slump to his shoulders. Beauty sleep…just the sound of it filled him with sleepy yearning…

Man… he sucked at being a Beta… almost as much as being an Omega…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milton… Milt… Whatever… Agent Chamberlain was a real bonus for the start of what could have been a pretty normal day, and by bonus Russ meant unnecessary pain in the ass. Russ knew from the moment Chamberlain walked in, before the introductions had even started, that this guy was shady, hiding something behind a too big smile. Because, honestly, who in their right mind would be that happy after being transferred to Battle Creek? He lived here all his life and he couldn't muster that kind of enthusiasm when he thought about the place.

Agent Chamberlain was not to be trusted. He made Russ' skin crawl in the way only a true Alpha could. "Milt" was an Alpha, most definitely. You could tell from the way he carried himself, all cocky, self-assured, and charming.

They were always charming…

The Agent seemed especially so as he talked about how being transferred to Battle Creek, Michigan was like coming home (yeah right), all the while smiling through big, white, shiny, perfect teeth. But something was off as the Agent charmed the room with kind words and a bright smile. His eyes, Russ could see them, how the smile didn't quite reach. They were dark and a bit cold as the light hit them making them shine. He seemed almost resigned, yet kept a detachment from the beginning. It set Russ on edge, distracting him from the conversation at hand to the point where he almost missed his name being spoken.

"Detectives Russ Agnew," Commander Guziewicz, an imposing Alpha in her own right, began introducing them, Russ only focusing in on the conversation due to hearing his name being said to the strange new Alpha, who now turned to him hand outstretched, which he accepted on auto pilot. The Agent gave a firm handshake, his eyes really fixing on Russ as their palms slid together smoothly, and a bit embarrassing that Russ's on hand was held firmly by long fingers and a palm broader than his on. The Agent's eyes widened a fraction, nothing nearly noticeable, and grew lighter with something that Russ would call curiosity. The handshake itself lasted longer than Russ was comfortable to admit, but not too long to look suspicious for a handshake between an Alpha and Beta.

He didn't like that look…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt's smile didn't falter or dim as he met the detectives of Battle Creek who would become his neighbors from now until something changed. He really didn't plan on anything changing really, but to think on things in a permanent sense led one to letting down their guard and getting used to things that were always prone to change. After all, if he knew anything at all by this stage in his life, anything could happen, and nothing, no matter how good or bad, lasted forever.

He wouldn't really catalog being shipped off to Battle Creek, Michigan as one of the best things to ever happen to him, but it could have been so much worse. And that thought made the smile a little easier to keep in place; it made this change a little easier to bear.

And he was bearing this; making a good first impression was a necessity. It would help keep them from seeing anything except for what he wanted them to see when it came to Milton Chamberlain. Being honest with himself, he hadn't really expected much from this encounter; he'd gone in oozing charm with a firm hold on his Alpha nature. He didn't want to appear too domineering to the bullpen full of Betas, their Alpha commander, and single Omega. He was going to be Milt, the friendly and approachable Alpha, poster boy for the ever helpful FBI.

At first glance they all seemed easily caught up in his happy dialogue and the smooth introductions; that was until the Commander introduced her first detective. Milt had noticed the rough looking Beta when he first came in, but didn't think anything of the man other than how something about him seemed a little out of place or off. He wasn't really one to make jump judgments on people, so he'd pushed the feeling away instead and continued on with his big charade. After all, big smile… big laugh… he loved it here…

Now shaking the detective's hand, Russ Agnew Commander Guziewicz had said, Milt felt that feeling again. As their palms slid together into a firm handshake, Milt watched the Beta's face closely. The man seemed immune to the charm that had the others smiling along with his seemingly open smile. If anything he seemed bothered by Milt's smile, the handshake, and probably the Alpha's presence entirely. The handshake itself lasted just long enough that was appropriate at first meetings and by the look on the detectives face, too long for his liking.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

"Why me?" Russ groaned palm pressed to his forehead as his eyes slipped closed.

Milt glanced over at his new 'partner' sitting in the passenger seat of his FBI issued SUV, trying to ignore the way his heart slightly jumped at the sound of the groan. He'd been in town for less than a day, and already he'd found a problem. He was already stupidly fond of a male Beta who couldn't stand him. This had never happened to Milt, and the fact that it was happening now left him a little unsettled, even if it didn't show.

Asking to partner with the Beta had been a spur of the moment thing for Milt. He wanted to understand why the Beta didn't seem to like him like the others, why he alone seemed to distrust Milt so much. That and there was that feeling that made itself known whenever he thought of the detective or looked at him. Oh, and his stupid fondness for said grump.

"They told me you were good," Milt found himself answering, and Russ, true to the nature Milt was slowly realizing he had, didn't believe him.

"No, they didn't. They told you I was a pain in the ass," Russ denied, knowing the other Betas far too well, the bluntness of his words making Milt laugh a little. "Why me?" he asked again.

Milt took a moment before answering. Taking a deep breath he prepared to go with the logic of things, about how Russ was the obvious choice since he was a senior detective, and had been so longer than any of the others. A scent, the bare hint of one, stopped him for just a second, gave him pause, and made him think. It was light and inviting and almost not there at all; it was the smell of Omega, clean and subtle. The scent of Beta easily overpowered it, however, and Milt was left wondering if it had even been there at all.

Then he found himself with a new lie, kind of; one about gut feelings and all that crap. To be honest him picking Russ as his temporary partner had been half out of curiosity and possibly half out of bad decision making on his part. His reasoning drew a laugh from Russ, who looked over at him in disbelief, and Milt counted that as a tiny win of sorts.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ couldn't believe this guy…

He hadn't taken Chamberlin for the type to go with his gut. Nothing up to this point would have supported that fact.

His dark mood from earlier slowly became replaced with disbelief. Yeah, he was still a little peeved with the way the Agent had treated him at the crime scene. But they had a case to solve, and he'd be damned if he didn't give his all and let the FBI show him up. Turning his attention to the list Chamberlain had sitting in the backseat, Russ pretty much did what he was prone to do and told things how he saw them. Agent Chamberlain was being too naïve if he thought that this was going to be easy. He almost seemed put-out by Russ's blatant dismissal of the list and anyone's willingness to talk to them. But then he had to go and say something about damned feelings… which Russ would soon come to find he did A LOT.

"I don't know. In my experience when you trust people they trust you."

"Have you actually met people?" Russ asked in utter disbelief. This guy couldn't be for real. Never in his life had he met an Alpha who could say such warm gooey feelings mumbo jumbo crap with a straight face. After all, everyone knew that being super in tune with your emotions was an Omega thing... But he probably shouldn't judge the guy on being super emotional when by definition of his gender he should be and clearly wasn't...

"Hmm, so Detective Agnew, what do you suggest?" Milt asks, seemingly unfazed.

"I don't believe in trusting people… I believe in paying people," Russ answered, because after all his years with the police and as an Omega, this is his truth.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Finding Omar was easy enough with the help of Teddy the Snitch.

The fact that Chamberlain recognized an Armani shirt from that distance was far less surprising than it probably should have been.

Admitting aloud that he thought Chamberlain was attractive… even if to try and figure the guy out… not one of his finest moments… He kind of half-blamed his biology for that one. Chamberlain was a good looking guy, if you were into stuck up douches who dressed in well fitted suits and fancy Italian leather shoes. Which Russ wasn't... Not at all...

Chasing after Omar when he made a run for it filled Russ's exercise quota for the week… Once again, he felt he might be getting too old for this...

The fact that Special Agent Alpha-pain-in-his-ass Chamberlain had a cobbler for those ridiculously expensive looking shoes, also not super surprising. The fact that Chamberlain thought he didn't know what a cobbler was, however, kind of pissed him off.

Then came the garbage about feelings, and Russ thought he'd get violently ill just listening to the agent. The man was supposed to be an Alpha for Christ's sakes, and suddenly Russ was feeling like the roles were reversed again. The nicer Chamberlain got, the nastier Russ's mood turned, and the harsher his words became. He knew this but couldn't find it in himself to try and call on some of that good natured Omega instinct that lurked deep inside. If anything, he was starting to enjoy the way his words made Chamberlain look at him.

Russ tried awfully hard not to be impressed with the Agent when he managed to get the name of their newest suspect, Travis Taylor, by threatening Omar with the NSA. Which, come to find out, wasn't just a bluff…

And their brief talk outside of Taylor's house… the look Chamberlain had given Russ after listening to his new theory… he could still feel it even now… Dark and Alpha… It took everything in Russ not to cringe away at those two little words that came along with the hard stare the Agent had fixed on him.

Then came convincing Ricky to lie about the lineup… Not Russ' finest moment… but he was so sure that Taylor had been their guy. So he wouldn't be losing sleep over it. But then Chamberlain had to open his big mouth and bring the reality of the situation into the light. Russ could lose his job for this if it all went sideways… Not something he'd thought about… If he was going to get fired, he'd rather it be for the truth than one of his lies...

Then the shooting happened. His endangered job forgotten… Everything except for the sound of gunfire and the tangy iron scent of blood was forgotten... Russ thought he'd be sick every time he remembered the feeling of hot blood hitting his face. He swore he could still smell the gunpowder, blood, pain, and fear.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Lying awake in the hospital bed they'd placed him in after removing the bullet from his shoulder, Milt had time to think back on the previous night.

He'd protected Russ as if it were the natural thing to do. Being hit in the process, not a part of Milts plan, but he couldn't find it in himself to care, as long as Russ was okay. His stupid fondness for the other man was starting to get a little out of control, but he started to wonder why he even cared so much. Russ was by far the best thing to happen to him since even before being sent to Battle Creek, probably in years. Yeah, it had been a day, but he could remember his parents talking about when they'd met for the first time and just knew. For Alphas and Omegas it was like that sometimes. The fact that Russ was supposedly a Beta didn't even matter at this point.

If what Milt suspected were true, then things may be easier than an Alpha trying to woo over an aggressive Beta, even though none of Russ's files supported his theory. If Milt's suspicions were true, then things were likely to get more difficult in a number of ways.

It all came back to that moment outside of Travis Taylor's house, when Russ was telling him about himself…really… Everything just seemed to click in that breath between heartbeats.

As they had stood outside Taylor's five-thousand dollar front door, Milt caught that same clean Omega scent again. It was still so light and transient that he could almost pass it off to his imagination. But it had lingered this time just a fraction longer. It was a soft purely Omega smell, and it had been coming from Russ. The scent appealed to the Alpha side of him that he kept a close eye on, drawing it to the surface, confirmed easily by the look on Russ' face.

No one else had seemed close enough to catch it on the breeze, but Milt had easily caught the scent and drew it in with a lungful of air. There was still the smell of Beta, but laced with it was Omega, fresh and pure, with just a hint of the spiciness brought out by an impending heat.

The sound of his hospital room door being pushed open drew his attention to the doorway where the Beta in question stood on the threshold, almost as if he were unsure if he should enter. Russ looked tired, dark bags under his eyes making the black eye he was sporting seem even darker. He was still wearing the same suit from last night, rumpled and dirty, but Milt was looking through the eyes of a besotted Alpha on painkillers and the Beta couldn't look more perfect. Seeing the other man safe and sound was all he needed. Milt could feel the urge to touch to confirm that Russ was alright, that he hadn't been hit, start as an itch under his skin as he waved the older man into the room.

Russ didn't say a word; he didn't even really look at Milt as he stepped into the room. That's when Milt noticed the vase of white roses in Russ' left hand, and the sling on his right arm.

"Brought you flowers... doesn't really make up for the whole saving my life thing... but I couldn't find a card so..." Russ spoke to him, eyes trained on the roses as he sat them on the table next to Milt's hospital bed.

"You're hurt!?" was all Milt could think to say, as he strained to sit up straighter and turn to face the man. This pulled at his bullet wound, making him hiss under his breath, but he refused to turn away from Russ.

"Yeah, but it could have been worse... Now lay back, you big dummy. You're going to pull your stitches loose," Russ reprimanded, finally turning to look at Milt with worried brown eyes.

"How!?"

Milt would have none of it, however. He found himself reaching for Russ before his brain could process what he was doing and tell him how much of a horribly bad idea it was. He caught the front of Russ' wrinkled shirt, catching the detective off-guard, and tugged him closer to the bed so his working hand could start a flurried pat-down on the poor confused man, carefully avoiding the arm in the sling. Either Russ was a good sport about it or just too stunned to pull away, but he let Milt finish his inspection before responding.

"It's just sprained. Must have happened when you shoved me into the brick wall. It doesn't hurt much, nothing like a bullet wound to the head would have, so I can't really complain," Russ answered with a measured shrug so not to jostle the arm in the sling.

Milt couldn't fight the fatigue Russ' answer seemed to bring out of him as he not so gently flopped back, gritting his teeth, and pulled Russ forward by the hand still gripping his shirt. He half expected Russ to say something biting and pry his fingers loose, but the other man surprised him by huffing not so quietly and sitting down on the bed by Milt's hip. This close Milt could smell it, the scent of him, so close and so much stronger than both times before. And they sat like that just breathing, for what Milt wished could be forever, but reality gave him just a few silent minutes.

"They need to lay off the strong stuff. I barely know you, but these painkillers are turning you into even more of a marshmallow than usual-" Russ started to say; breaking the silence, before Milt rudely cut him off. Because it was there, and it was proof enough. Russ was an Omega. Russ was perfect...

"You're an Omega-" Milt blurted, watching Russ' face closely as his eyes widened with shock, too caught off-guard to try to pretend to be anything else.

Russ didn't even try to deny it, not really. His face slipped back into something more neutral, more blank, more distant before he got up slipping away from Milt's fingers and dark gaze and out the door without even a glance backwards. And yeah, that stung...

Milt watched the door click shut before his eyes drifted over to the forgotten flowers. White roses. He wondered if Russ knew their meaning. Now that they had his full attention, he noticed the white card stuck snugly between two snowy buds.

'Milt,

Thanks for being a lifesaver... Thinking of you...

Agnew'

Russ didn't call Milt by his first name... This was the first time after spending pretty much a whole day together... He wished it were spoken aloud instead of written, but the curvy deceptively neat scrawl would have to do. There was a likely chance Russ may never speak to him again, and if he did, Milt expected it to be in a harsher tone than he already took with him.

Milt placed the card back with the flowers before heaving a sigh and letting his eyes slip closed. It's quite possible that he might have just mucked everything up...

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ should have denied it... should have said something, but all he could think was 'How the hell did Milt know? How could he have found out? Who has he told?! He still didn't trust Milt as far as he could throw him!'. And that was another thing. When the hell did he start thinking of him as Milt!? He was supposed to be Mr. Softy Special Agent Douche Chamberlain, not Milt...

Hell, the Alpha hadn't even said it as a question. No... he'd stated it clear and sure. He hadn't sounded drug addled or confused, just certain that it was true. Russ could have denied it, like he said, should have, but the words got stuck in his throat. He couldn't make his mouth form the denial; that tiny part of him that was tired of hiding managed to hold it all in. And maybe that tiny part of him was happy that Milt knew. The larger part of him that loved his job, even if lying about his true gender made it hard to do said job, couldn't handle that, so he'd ran. Well, more like walked briskly, but still. He hadn't said a word, just left.

The Omega that he kept locked away deep inside had relished Milt's protectiveness and the contact. Sitting there, Milt's fingers tangled in the front of his shirt... the scent of Alpha next to him almost overwhelming, making him dizzy and just a bit more docile than he was prone to be. It had felt... It doesn't matter what it felt like! He was angry at himself for going Omega and getting called out on it and for caring enough about the guy to wait to see him. Even angrier that he had gone down to the gift shop and got those stupid thank you flowers with their stupid thank you note! His world was over, and he'd given the guy flowers!

And now what? So Milt knew, so what? It didn't seem like a matter of would he tell, only if he already had and when he would if he already hadn't. Russ would lose his job, of that he was fairly certain... He'd almost lost it tonight over the case. Guzie had given him a stern look and his week of leave instead of a suspension. It had started today... He'd spent the first day of his leave waiting for a guy he didn't even like to wake up and shatter his world to pieces...

He left the hospital frustrated and functioning on less than three hours of sleep he'd caught in an uncomfortable waiting room chair while waiting to be let in to see Milt. He had headed straight home. He needed a hot shower and fresh clothes. He needed to pretend that his world was still in one piece, that his secret was still safe.

After his shower he struggled into some non-work clothes, like a pair of boxers and a black T-shirt—something comfortable, something familiar—before flopping down on the coach. His natural scent, not overwhelmingly strong, surrounded him, since he forwent the scent blocking shampoos and body washes he normally used when masquerading as a Beta. He wanted to smell normal, feel normal for just a little while. Flipping idly through the channels, nothing really catching his interest for long, he tried to keep his mind from wandering to his job, Milt, or what one could do to the other if he didn't keep his big well-formed trap shut! Damn it! Milt wasn't attractive! No, that's a blatant lie... He was attractive but not really what Russ was into, so he wasn't attracted to Russ... Attractive to Russ, he meant! He didn't care what the Agent thought of him! Nope, not at all!

He must have dozed off, because the next thing he knew he was suddenly awake with a slight pain in his sprained arm where he must have jostled it when he jumped. Trying to forget the dream he'd been having, which wasn't about Milt... he reached for his phone sitting on the coffee table with a muffled curse. It must have been what had startled him from sleep, he thought as he flipped it open to see three missed calls and a voicemail. One missed call was from Font, one from Holly, and the third from a number he didn't recognize as well as the voicemail. They had to have known about the leave and his almost suspension, so why would they be calling?

Listening to the voicemail... Well, now he had Milt's number... just in case he wanted to not call him, because why else would he need Milt's number... He wasn't even mildly surprised to realize that Milt had his number without him giving it. Obtaining Russ' cell number was probably a cake walk for the Agent who liked using all of the FBI's latest toys for inane things...

Milt didn't mention the hospital, or anything about Russ being an Omega, just that he'd moved Ricky to a safe house, and he was there with him now. Said he'd appreciate it if Russ could run by so they could talk over the case and try and figure out who had shot at them and why. You'd think Milt would know that he was off the clock, but he supposed the prissy Agent didn't care. Milt probably ate, breathed, and slept the case, not much unlike himself. Now was where he would deny that he felt any niggling over the Agent's wellbeing, damn Omegan caring curling it's toes at the thought of Milt not sleeping enough or eating enough.

Russ claimed it was for the case, as he puttered around his apartment getting ready to meet up with Milt at the safe house, which the Agent left directions to. The case, not the man who could crush his career like a bug caught under one of those special cobbled Italian shoes. Russ was about to leave his apartment when he realized something very important. Though it was dulled by the suppressants that he'd gone off that morning since being allowed leave, his scent was still very much Omega. Making his way back to his bathroom, he pretty much bathed in the Beta spray, masking his scent easily enough. Looking at himself in the mirror he tried to calculate how much time he'd have before his heat kicked in. He'd made a quick appointment with an Omega clinic in St. Joseph. It would be about an hour and a half drive, so hopefully Milt didn't need him for too awful long, maybe no more than a couple hours.

The things he did for the case...

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt met Russ as the wall door slid open, pride at having surprised and impressed the other man masked with his usual good humor and easy smile. He may have been a bit disappointed when he caught the scent of Beta wafting off the man but hid that too. Russ looked clean; the dark circles under his eyes a lot lighter than this morning. Milt couldn't even imagine what it would be like surrounded in Russ's unmasked scent. Intoxicating…

He'd spent the last few hours since they'd released him from the hospital thinking about how to work through the problem his own indelicate statement had caused. He was surprised to see Russ at all, actually. Russ was technically still a part of the case, even if his leave went active that morning, so Milt knew he could use that as a lure to get Russ to see him again. They couldn't really talk about it, but Milt wanted the closeness, the image that nothing had conspired that could tear their one-day partnership into pieces.

He'd also been entertaining (and deflecting the advances of) the young Omega, Ricky, trying to reassure the boy that he was in fact safe, and though this was Milt's temporary living quarters, the place was a safe house. It didn't take long for the Omega to settle in on his couch with the remote, far more comfortable than he'd expected. Then came the shy little smiles and doe eyes.

He'd gotten tired of it after hour one. Yes, the boy was charming in his own way, soft spoken and polite, like most Omega. That had never really done it for Milt. But no matter how many times he tried to dissuade him, Ricky kept on playing coy and batting long lashes in his direction.

As Milt walked back into the sitting area, two Diet Colas in hand (ever the good host, even when his patience with his guest was wearing thin), he couldn't help but notice the subtle look of displeasure on Ricky's face when he realized that Russ was with him. He ignored the irritation at the Omega's blatant disdain for Russ and instead focused on the man following along behind him talking animatedly about the safe house. His words stoked Milt's pride; even if this wasn't permanent, it was nice to know that Russ saw how well he could provide for them... not that there was a 'them'... not a thing... Russ wasn't his to provide for, yet. Eyes crinkling at the edges, smiling as Russ, who was none the wiser of what Milt had planned (which there were plans; there were always plans), as he made exclamations over the TV.

Then suddenly it was all business with Russ, almost as if a switch had been flipped.

The ride to where the murder weapon was found was quiet for the most part. Milt was still trying to think of how to approach the man about a very difficult to approach subject. You can imagine his surprise, however, when Russ did it for him.

"About what you said... back at the hospital..." Russ refused to look at him as he spoke, leaving his eyes trained on the passing by sidewalk out the passenger side window as he spoke slowly not sure what to say. "I'm not going to try and deny it now... should have done that when you first said it, but the time's well past that point... Have you told anyone...?"

"No," was Milt's honest reply, as he caught glimpses of the distraught Omega out of the corner of his eye.

"Good... I mean thanks... You have the right as an Agent of the FBI to report me as an unregistered Omega to my superiors as soon as you found out... I figured you hadn't told Guzie yet, because she hasn't fired me yet... so yeah, thanks for that." Now was when Russ turned to regard him with light brown eyes and an expression that Milt read as distrustful, yet hopeful. "Can you wait until we close this case? Just... I want to be there, still me, Detective Russell Agnew when we bring the bastard down. I want people to still look at me the same for even just a little longer..."

"Okay... But Russ-" Milt began, slowing to a stop at a red light and looking over at Russ who's gaze skittered away like a frightened animal staring into the mouths of hounds. Russ never looked more Omega than he did right then. He had so much to say, but Russ cut him off.

"Look, I don't want no pity or any crap like that. I just want to finish the case, and then you can do whatever the fuck you want. I'm a good detective, and if that doesn't stand own it's on in front of the City Council and they remove me from the force for being what I am, then they don't deserve me anyways!" Russ blurted angrily, all fire, no longer cowering.

"I agree," Milt said, passing through the now green light.

"What?" Russ questioned, clearly not understanding or just too confused to try and process what all those two words could mean.

"I agree with you. I've barely known you for more than a day, and even I know you're a wonderful detective. If the City Council wants to fire you for being an unregistered Omega, then they won't get any help from me." Milt spoke firmly; just the idea of Russ losing his job over this raised his hackles. "I don't plan on telling anyone. Everyone has secrets, and this one is yours to bear." He continued as he pulled the car near the alley where other uniforms had gathered canvasing the place. "I just want you to know that you can trust me with this. You don't have to go through it alone. I'll help-"

"Okay, I got the picture! You can stop pulling the nice-guy Milt stuff with me. I didn't buy it then, and I don't buy it now. You'll tell them or you won't, simple, but thanks anyways, I guess." Russ sighed overdramatically, making Milt smile, placing his hand on the door handle about to get out of the SUV, but he paused, turning to look back at Milt. "Oh yeah, since you're all into helping me lie to everyone who knows me, I got about three more hours to wrap this thing up."

"Three hours?" Milt questioned, ignoring the part about lying to everyone, and inwardly beaming at the trust Russ had placed in him.

"Yeah, went off the suppressants this morning since my leave got approved. I'm guessing I got roughly around four hours until my heat hits for the first time in over three months," Russ supplied, a small condescending smile curling the edge of his lips bitterly.

"Well, I'd be more than happy to he-" Milt began, more than eager to once again offer his aid.

"Not a chance," Russ said with a laugh, a real laugh, smiling at Milt's exaggerated hurt expression. "I may be an Omega, not much of an excuse for one, but I can take care of this myself without an Alpha. In fact, I have a five day stay at the wonderful Omega Center in St. Joseph. They know me there, are discreet, and take short notice overnights."

Milt didn't get a chance to respond as Russ proceeded to exit the SUV, a little pep in his step. Learning that his job wasn't in danger must have put him in a better mood. Milt knew of other ways he could put the detective in a good mood, but as Russ had so inelegantly stated 'not a chance'. And once again, all Milt could think was 'yet'.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ wasn't really one for dumpster diving, but letting Milt do it seemed too cruel. The man got shot for him! Hell, he was willing to keep his lie for him! Russ didn't want to think of the other things Milt seemed all too ready and willing to do for him... But yeah, dumpster diving, not the best part of the job. If Milt got his way, however, there would be no dumpster diving for Russ. After five minutes of bickering in front of the Unis and Russ exclaiming "You Got Shot!" several times, Milt won and found himself knees to elbows in a dumpster full of some of the nastiest trash Russ had seen in a while.

As Milt held up the gun and said something about possible DNA on the trigger, it all kind of clicked for Russ. If this was what he thought it was then Milt was going to be sorely disappointed. Ignoring Milt's protests he took the gun by the barrel with an ungloved hand and proceeded to lick the 'potential DNA', pretending that he couldn't feel Milt's searing gaze on him. Yup, just as he'd thought.

Looking up he caught the look of disgust mixed with something darker, hungry even, on Milt's face. One word wiped it away.

"Anchovies..."

~ MILT X RUSS ~

So the Ricky thing got solved. Russ still was a bit aggravated that it really was the kid, or more over, having to watch Milt's flamboyant display of warm and cozy feelings of the soul... He still couldn't understand how people bought that crap, seemed to eat it up. He'd like to say that it was his threat that made the kid stand down, but he knew the little Omega had a shine for the upstanding Alpha Agent. That was more than likely why he'd handed Milt the gun...

Walking away from Travis Taylor's house for hopefully the last time, he couldn't help but to prod at Milt a little. After all, that was some pretty personal sounding philosophies there. Russ said it seemed a little close to home; Milt called it a bluff. Russ, as per usual, did not believe him. Then somehow it turned a bit teasing. As if this is what their relationship was supposed to be, so easily slipping into the smooth playful banter.

"You don't believe your own BS," Russ chuckled; going around the FBI issued SUV.

"Nor do you. You're a good person Detective Agnew, and more Omega than you'd like to think," Milt replied.

"And you, Agent Chamberlain," Russ said, looking over the hood of the vehicle at his 'partner', a wicked little smile curving his lips. "You're the devil." His words drug a strained little chuckle from the Agent, only making him smile wider.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ missed the whole media frenzy over Milt's first solved case in Battle Creek. Can't say he was sorry for that. He wouldn't get mentioned… Never got mentioned… Nope, instead he had four and a half days of him time and nothing else in the world for him to do then be himself.

~ Fin ~


	2. Part 2 - Sugary Sweet

Unconventional Omegas

Omega # 1 – Russell Agnew

Part 2 – Sugary Sweet

Rain… Yeah, rain kind of sucked when you were stuck at work in the middle of the night and you worked for the BCPD. Don't get Russ wrong, he liked the rain well enough; liked the sound of it gently striking his window panes, softly lulling him off to sleep, at home. His apartment didn't have any leaks. Here, it mimicked the rainy outside, all the dripping, with containers sat precariously around the office catching the invading water.

Russ couldn't figure out why the office leaked so badly! They weren't even close to the top floor! The offices above them didn't leak! And Milt's office, just next door, didn't have trash bins sitting around catching wayward water either!

Speaking of the Alpha, it'd been a good solid week since he'd came back from his week of leave. He'd gotten to remove the sling three days into his 'retreat'. It had been a very slow uneventful week; a week that he hadn't spent actively avoiding Milt, no matter what anyone said or thought on the subject. They've just been so busy… with nothing… Well, it wasn't as if Milt hadn't tried at first, but after the first few times of being rebuffed he backed off, seemingly giving Russ his space, but the Omega could feel the other man watching him from across the way, eyes staring into him with intent accuracy.

Thinking of the Alpha made him want to turn around and look across the hall into that glass faced office, but he resisted the urge, choosing instead to busy himself with finishing up a noise complaint report. As he was putting it away, he turned to find Holly at the fountain straining to catch the stream with the large blue water cooler bottle. Rushing to her aid always came easy; Omegas were kind of programmed that way. All for one and one for all, banding together and helping where and when they could, unless there was an Alpha involved. Then you could forget it. Omegas were biddable and all up until you threatened their offspring, or when an Alpha of high caliber came along. Russ could honestly say he'd never seen anything quite as vicious as Omegas fighting over the same Alpha. It was a prime example that Omegas could easily be killers, just like the rest of everybody else.

"Oh, hey… Holly," he said as he moved forward to take hold of the bottle that was already a third full. How long had she been standing there struggling to get it that full? Now he felt a bit guilty that he hadn't noticed sooner… "Seriously, what, we can't afford water?"

"Well, the snack budget's really tight, and uh… everybody's really tearing through those single serving coffee packets… So yeah, I had to make the hard call," she responded, surrendering the water bottle to him.

Walking back into the thick of their desks, where everyone not him was preparing to head home for the night, he caught the sound of the Alpha's voice echoing in the hallway just outside their door. It stopped him in his tracks and drew his attention to where Milt was directing some movers carrying what might be some of the ugliest art panels he'd ever seen, but then again he'd never claimed to know much about art.

"Look at that," Russ said aloud to Holly as he watched Milt wave his hands about in almost comically exaggerated motions. Surely he didn't think 'jazz hands' were helping the poor guys get those panels through the doors and into place quicker? "Milt gets original art and we get counterfeit water… un-believable…" he grumbled turning away, missing the Alphas attention shifting from the paintings to his retreating back. Holly didn't. Watching Milt watch Russ, she got a confused look on her face before turning away, assuming that Russ was still avoiding Milt for whatever reason, and Milt wasn't angry so it must be nothing… The art looked nice!

~ MILT X RUSS ~

On the Commander's orders, Font and Russ grabbed up their rain gear and headed out of the office to investigate the naked dead guy in the woods. Whereas Russ wanted to just breeze on by Milt's door, having no desire to deal with the Alpha and the rain, Font stopped. Milt's assistant, not the pretty redhead from when Milt had first moved in, but a lovely brunette (Russ was starting to think the man changed assistants like day of the week underwear…) didn't even look away from her computer as Font reached for the door.

"Hey, psst," Russ said in a hushed voice, drawing Font's attention away from the door.

"What are you doing?" Font asked him clearly confused. They had orders, yeah, but you'd think the guy knew him well enough to know that Russ had a tendency to glaze over 'those' kinds of orders. "Guzie said to get Milt's help."

"No, she said to see if he was busy," Russ explained, trying to be as convincing as possible. He really didn't want to deal with the Agent… not right now, not yet. But he wasn't avoiding him, mind you! "Look at him… That Mine Craft world is not going to build itself," he added, leaning to peer into the Agent's office. Milt had his chair turned so the back was facing them, none the wiser to their little 'conversation'. "Let's go. We got a murder to solve!" he tacked on, already walking away, knowing Font well enough to know that he'd more than likely follow after him without Milt.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt could have sworn that they were on good terms when Russ had left for the clinic in St. Joseph. Russ had even been joking around, all easy smiles with a teasing edge. But they hadn't talked since he'd been back. It has been almost a whole two weeks since they had that conversation in Milt's car. They had felt close then, but whatever space had been dissolved by Milt knowing Russ' secret had easily been replaced. Replaced by what, Milt had no clue. If anything the distance seemed more, and Russ even went as far as to avoid him now, where he was once confrontational.

Milt wanted to march over there and sweep the Omega off his guard, demand his attention. Something… Anything… The fact that Russ had pretty much laughed off his advances so far didn't sting quite so much as serve as a reminder that he needed to try harder. The Omega didn't know him, was wary of him. He had to play things differently. He had to present his intentions differently. Unlike most Omegas Milt was pretty sure that Russ wouldn't be into grand gestures or even open proclamations of intent. Milt was pretty sure the other man would run as quickly as he possibly could in the opposite direction if even a word was breathed about bonding or a potential relationship. Now was a pretty good indicator of that. Russ ran from his problems and things that generally made him uncomfortable.

No, Milt was going to have to be sneaky. He'd have to play everything just right. Of course, his Alpha nature wouldn't let him cheapen this. His gestures would have to stay small yet intimate. His intentions needed to stay veiled and under Russ' radar until the Omega was comfortable being what he was, at least when he was with Milt. In this game, he had to let Russ think that everything was on his terms.

Flexing his fingers holding his iPad, he watched the reflection of the Omega in question arguing in front of his office with his old partner. Font looked ready to enter, but something Russ said gave him pause. Milt imagined that there was probably a case and they were told to involve him, but Russ never seemed to intent on following 'those' kinds of orders. Instead the older detective seemed to win the argument, just turning and walking off, Font soon trailing behind.

Russ was really determined on avoiding him…

It took Milt no time at all to figure out which case came up, and Guziewicz didn't seem too pleased to find that Russ had blatantly refused her order to 'see if Milt was busy'. Donning his rain gear Milt made for his SUV, happy that his arm was well enough that he didn't need the sling. That would have been a hassle to try and work out…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

A long night in the cold driving rain… with Milt being Milt… being his annoyingly super useful and disgustingly know-it-all self… and a naked dead body, found them all in the office bright and early the next morning. Milt was still being Milt… But Russ was fine with this, at first, because he didn't have to deal with him. He and Font had been given orders by Guize to go see Meredith about the water type found in the lungs, on Font's suggestion about narrowing down where the drowning might have happened. But because Russ was Russ and the Universe didn't seem to think it had showed him enough 'love' in his life recently, things went to crap real quick.

Russ knew Font suffered from migraines, but generally the Beta would just try to power through. That was before they had the ever so gallant and helpful Milt there to swoop in and save the day with soft words and reassurances. To Russ, Milt seemed far too eager to swoop in and save the day this time…

"The man said he could power through!" Russ tried, but Milt just leveled him with a look, clever eyes shining. It made Russ' teeth hurt.

"The man needs his medicine, Russ," Milt said, something lurking behind his overly caring, stupid defiantly, not attractive Alpha face. All Russ could do was stare. This guy was a total piece of work.

"Thanks," Font said between them breaking the moment, thankfully!

Walking away, Milt decided to live up to what Russ had come to expect from the Alpha, a goody two shoes who stuck his nose in Russ' business…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

"Look, if someone reaches out, it doesn't make you lesser to take their hand," Milt began, voice soft and maybe a bit reprimanding. He didn't know if Russ just lacked the Omega empathy sometimes or just kept it buried under so much bullshit that it rarely found its way to the surface, but the man's disregard for people sometimes was alarming. Maybe it wasn't disregard, not really; maybe he just had to play it tough to keep himself safe, and it just came on too strong.

"You wanna hold my hand now Milt, that it?" Russ bit back, walking ahead of Milt at a steady pace. For a moment, just a moment, Milt thought about saying yes. He wondered what Russ would do, what he would say.

"Metaphorically," he responded instead.

"Bite me. Metaphorically," Russ gripped back. And oh, Milt would love nothing more than to not so metaphorically bite him. He just didn't think Russ was there yet.

"Oh, okay, so I see. You're either too prideful or too stubborn… Or is it the Omega thing? Being that way doesn't make you seem weaker when you ask for help, and asking for help doesn't make you any more or less what you are," Milt said instead, voice lowering even though they were alone in the hallway. "Or you just don't like me, which is fine. But you shouldn't let it get in the way of accepting my help on your cases," he continued before Russ could turn and say anything. He could tell his words were bothering the other man, but that was a good sign. Caring didn't make you Omega; caring made you human. He didn't however expect Russ to turn on him so quickly, voice even and low.

"You're right. On the other hand, I don't know you. I don't know why you were sent here, because you won't tell me. And bringing that up, right now? The Omega thing, really? You know, it's not that I don't like you, Milt. I just don't trust you," Russ said keeping his voice hushed and eyes steady on Milt's face. Milt found it hard to keep eye contact at that point.

And what really could he say to that…? A whole lot of nothing…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ all but forgot about the conversation when they entered Meredith's lair. He'd known the little Alpha far longer than he'd ever let on. Way before he was a cop… But those were closely guarded secrets, secrets that went hand in hand with his second gender, which Meredith was fully aware of. Watching how well the two Alphas got on made Russ a bit nervous, if not jealous. Meredith had a bad habit, not really a new one, of teasing him viciously. And he wouldn't be himself if he didn't rise to the occasion every single time.

Russ and Meredith's banter often made people caught in the crossfire uncomfortable, and it seemed Milt was no exception. The Agent kept pulling faces at Russ and Meredith's exchange. The fact that Meredith blatantly flirted with the other Alpha was weird and disturbing for Russ… He didn't even want to imagine how that would go down. Poor Milt, Alpha Alpha that he was, wouldn't stand a chance. Russ, never having experienced it first hand, always imagined Meredith to be a little into power plays and leather… Russ tried to repress the horrified shiver the thought brought on.

As if sensing his uneasiness, Meredith smirked at him, picking up the saw and getting to work. She knew he wasn't overly good with this part of the job… Yeah, he was a cop who wasn't overly fond of gore… sue him… He just didn't like the smell of death and blood, and watching the little Alpha cute into a man as if he were a Thanksgiving ham made him queasy. Russ was too preoccupied trying to keep from being openly ill to notice Milt's attention drifting to him worriedly.

"Guys, this isn't water… this is Maple syrup," Meredith said, all serious, completely different than when they'd first came in.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Meredith, the ME, Milt was surprised to find, was an Alpha. She didn't hide it. It rolled off her in waves, and he found himself glancing at Russ, who acted as if they hadn't had an exchange just minutes ago. The Omega and the new Alpha swapped barbs like they did this every day, and Milt sensed that there was more there than work history. Mind you, he wasn't jealous; he was sure Meredith was a wonderful person, but clearly not enough for Russ…

He also took Meredith's flirting at face value. It wasn't that she was interested in him, per se, more like interested in the way Russ responded. The Omega looked uncomfortable, and Milt was sure if he could find a plausible excuse and didn't want to know the results so badly he would beat a hasty retreat. Then as Meredith started her work, cutting open the victim, Russ went pale and fought with the urge to turn away. It was a sign of weakness the other probably fought with viciously.

Milt had never met an Omega who could stomach this kind of thing, and seeing the normally brusque Russ Agnew flinching away from the scene of a dead man being opened up was alarmingly grounding. For all of Russ' bravado and the role he dedicated so much time to perfecting, he was still what he was. Not saying that Betas and Alphas wouldn't flinch away from a bit of mutilation, but Omega's just never seemed to have the stomach for it, preferring clean deaths and means of murder. Despite his denials, Russ was proving to be more Omega than Milt had originally believed. And watching the man now, Milt could feel it, the itch to comfort and provide support, to shield Russ from the smirking eyes of the other Alpha who found his squeamishness too amusing. He was sure that Russ wouldn't appreciate anything from him right now… and possibly no time in the near future either… but there would come a time, Milt was sure of it. Until that time, Milt would try his best to coax out Russ' Omega side and convince the man that he could trust him, even if Milt still refused to tell him his reasons for being sent to Battle Creek.

After Meredith confirmed that their vic had been drowned in syrup, Milt was about to turn to follow Russ back up to the bullpen as he did indeed make his hasty retreat, but Meredith called out to him once Russ was out of earshot.

"I think we need to have a talk," she breathed a sigh, removing her gloves and the shield mask.

"Oh?" Milt questioned, not sure what the other Alpha could need to talk to him about.

"I need to know right now if you're serious about pursuing him, because if you're not, you need to back off," Meredith said coming around the table to stand before Milt, very much the Alpha she exuded as she stared up at him with hard unrelenting eyes. Gone was the flirting and teasing, leaving behind a fierce woman who cared for Russ far more than Milt had guessed.

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about…" Milt tried to say, but stopped as her eyes grew sharper.

"Don't pull that crap with me," the little Alpha seethed through bared teeth. "I know you know what he is. I can smell your interest over the constant smell of death that clings to this place. I'm surprised no one else has called you out on it, but Betas can be short sighted like that. And just because you seem willing to keep his secret doesn't mean crap to me. Russ has trouble trusting people, as I'm sure you've noticed, and your attentions could break him. I refuse to stand here and let that happen. So answer my question."

Milt stared down at the other Alpha, hackles bristling at her interfering and instance. And gods help him but he couldn't hold up the mask that everyone bought into so readily. All his instincts saw was another Alpha with an interest in what was his. A vicious little smile curled the edges of his lips, quirking them up sardonically. "I don't see how any of this is your business."

"It's my business because I say it is," the little woman huffed, not backing down under the face of the predator that lurked just below Milt's friendly façade. "I've known Russ for a long time. God knows I'm one of a handful of people who know him well enough to know how close to the edge of broken his sits. He's always struggled with being Omega or not Omega enough. And if you're just fucking with him, you need to back off and find another target." Meredith held his stare, unflinching under the harshness she found there.

Milt slowly allowed his features to soften, sensing a familial worry here and not a rival. Almost wearily, he regarded her now. Meredith seemed to sense the shift in demeanor, because she relaxed the stiff line in her shoulders, eyes softening a tiny bit around the edges.

"I'm… I guess you could say I'm in for the long haul…" Milt finally relented an answer, words honest and eyes tired but sincere. He really didn't feel like lying, and if he played his cards right, he might have an ally in the ME. "But it's not going well…"

Meredith's face softened even more at his answer, and then she looked at him like he was a complete idiot. "Well of course not, he's a cranky bastard. His issues have issues."

~ MILT X RUSS ~

It stung a little that Holly didn't think Russ could handle telling a woman that her husband was dead. Yeah, he was probably the least likely one you'd pick to deliver bad news, something about his face and lacking empathy… Instead of arguing, he conceded to get Milt. He hadn't talked to the Alpha since the substance used to drown their vic was revealed to be syrup. This time it wasn't Russ' fault. He wasn't avoiding the Alpha; the Alpha was avoiding him.

Milt hadn't followed after Russ when Russ had left Meredith's den of death but stayed behind for some reason. When the Alpha did finally resurface from the depths of hell, he didn't even glance in Russ' direction, just headed straight to his own office looking lost in thought and a bit tired. He could feel the Alpha watching him, but every time he glanced in Milt's direction the man seemed to be preoccupied and looking elsewhere.

Russ didn't knock as he entered the FBI satellite office, drawing Milt's secretary's attention to him. She smiled prettily at him, and it made him feel a twinge of guilt for not knowing her name. In his defense, it would be nice if the plaque on the desk had her name instead of 'ASSISTANT TO: SPECIAL AGENT CHAMBERLAIN', further convincing him that Milt went through assistants like normal people did underwear.

"Detective Agnew, Milt is free if you want to go on in," she said, smile still on her face, her voice pleasant and welcoming. It only made him feel worse about not knowing her name.

"Ah…uh…thanks," Russ, tired, a flush creeping up his neck. The other Omega just kept on smiling as he passed her desk and entered Milt's office. The Alpha didn't even look up at his entrance.

"Still wanna hold my hand, Milt?"

~ MILT X RUSS ~

The ride to Eddie Floss' residence was silent, Milt still trapped in his own thoughts, and for once Russ didn't seem to feel the need to try and question Milt in the silence that stretched between them. He still couldn't believe he'd shown the Alpha ME that side of himself. He'd dropped the mask and all but snarled at her.

Her persistence on the subject about what he wanted with Russ made sense now. She'd told him a bit about their past. How when Russ presented Omega he had been terrified of what would happen to him, of how it would change his life. How she'd helped him hide it for weeks by getting him suppressants. She didn't go into too much detail, but he could tell she cared for the Omega in her own a roundabout way, her sharpness with him the only way she could show it, the only way he'd accept it.

She'd gone so far as to tell him that she'd never had designs on Russ, something about it being too difficult to persuade the Omega into seeing things in that way, and Russ really wasn't her type. She liked easy and amiable. Milt kind of doubted that.

She also told him that she was there to help, if he needed her. Russ needed someone like Milt for Russ' own sake. He needed stability and someone reliable and strong to lean on. No suppressant was good for long-term use, and she was sure Russ abused his, which were probably even more dangerous because there was no clue where he got them.

That thought alone made a surge of worry tingle up Milt's spine. God only knew where Russ procured his suppressants. And suppressants weren't something that Milt had ever really put thought into. He knew several Omegas who used them, but he never really knew that much about them. Like how many different variety there were and how several of them had different functions and focuses. He'd spent the hour after leaving Meredith researching suppressants. During the hour he'd felt eyes on him on and off, knowing it was Russ. He powered through, wanting to finish before he approached the man again. When he'd glanced across the way into the BCPD he'd easily spot the dejected slump of Russ's shoulders and found a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips, knowing without a doubt that it was because of him. And yeah, he really was the devil…

Talking to the victim's wife went smooth enough; Russ stayed pretty silent through the whole thing, looking uncomfortable and at anything but the weeping Omega woman. The talk turned up one possible suspect, Julio McFarland, leader of the syrup cartel, something that Milt hadn't even thought existed.

Now they were sitting out in Milt's SUV, Russ smiling beside him in a manner that rubbed Milt the wrong way. The smile itself was a wonderfully beautiful and rare thing, but the reason for the smile grated on Milt's nerves. They were staking out McFarland's syrup warehouse since there warrant was denied.

"Why are you smiling?" Milt questioned, already knowing the answer, voice flat, the true Milt lurking just under the surface.

"Am I?" Russ all but beamed, before shifting to glance into the passenger side view mirror like the smirky ass he was being. "I'm just wondering if this is the first time you've ever been turned down for something."

"You do realize my failing to get the warrant affects you too," Milt says, face closed off from emotion, voice almost hollow. He really hadn't expected to be turned down like that, and it bothered him that Russ was getting such a kick out of his failings.

"No, I'm upset about it, but I'm a complex person capable of many emotions," Russ said, meaning it as the jab at Milt's own personality.

Milt thought about bringing up what was on his mind now that Russ was talking to him like normal. No time like the present, except the present was a stakeout and the person they were watching decided it was time to leave. Thing tumbled downhill from there… Watching Russ climb the chain linked fence was a sight to behold, and Milt found his thoughts drifting far off from where they should be. For someone who proclaimed to be 'too old for this' Russ was pretty spry. Yeah, and then things went to hell…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ wasn't a baby, but his leg hurt like a bitch. He made sure his protests were known as Holly changed the bandage for him. She had this small little smile, eyes soft, as she cleaned the bite. Her hopeful little glances weren't as lost on him like people thought. No, he saw them, he ignored them, pretending to not notice, and he felt immensely guilty for it too. He wanted to be honest with her, tell her that he wasn't the man she thought he was. That in the eyes of a lot of people he wasn't a man at all… But he kept his mouth shut, afraid he'd tell her the truth if he even opened it to breathe.

He couldn't give her the future an Omega like Holly deserved.

Omega-Omega pairings were still frowned upon, even in this day and age. Which it was fine, most Omega never found themselves drawn to the same second gender like that. There was something in their biology that drove them to pair off with Alphas, and in some rare occasions, Betas, people that could protect and provide for them. He was pretty sure the only reason she felt anything for him at all was because his own scent was hidden under layers of fake Beta and suppressants. She felt safe with him because he was a cop, but he was sure if she caught his full uninhibited Omega scent she'd realize that her feelings weren't romantic but friendly and companionable.

The Commander's chastising voice, never failing to make him feel like when they first met and he was still pretty green behind the ears, broke him away from his guilt over Holly and brought him back to the case at hand. Then it had come to him. They could do a sting operation!

The fact that Milt agreed with his plan, even going so far as tweaking it and making it better, surprised Russ. After that point it was easy to get Guzie on board when he turned to her with what she called his 'puppy dog eyes' and sincere words. He knew they had won when she gave him the face he recognized as 'why do I bother arguing with you' look. She really did spoil him, and sometimes he wondered if it had something to do with biology and her somehow knowing deep down what he was, because yeah, he got away with a lot.

With Milt on board, with his FBI lackeys, things went pretty fast, and Russ would be lying if he didn't catch himself having fun working on getting everything setup. There wasn't any time for awkward conversations about how Milt knew and tried to get Russ to understand he was on his side, for which Russ was grateful. Every time the two of them made it two steps forward they ended up taking ten steps back… Russ blamed Milt and his inability to keep his trap shut when it really counted.

And Milt proved him right, again… The man that everyone else seemed to think of as Saint Milt was a total douche. A really attractive douche… that looked really good in blue and glasses… but a douche nonetheless…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Today was really not Milt's day. He just kept sticking his foot in his mouth when it came to talking to Russ. He hadn't meant to say those things to Russ and definitely not in that way. He would even go so far to say he regretted them the moment they left his mouth. Sitting across from Russ, dressed down for their undercover syrup operation, he had let his mouth get away with him. He could tell the moment his words hurt the Omega, even if he tried to pretend he didn't. And Russ tried to hide it, like Russ always did, how Milt's words cut too deep, too close to home.

Milt didn't apologize. Couldn't… Russ would get defensive, always expecting the worst from people, and maybe he had every right to. What did Milt know about the Omega, except for what were in his files, which had already been proven as partially wrong, and the fact that he was terrified of being found out for what he was. From what he'd gathered so far, from the man himself and those around him, Russ may not have had the best upbringing and lacked the support needed growing up that he should have gotten.

Then there was no time for apologizing as the owner came to their table, and they started their plan into motion. Milt tried to ignore how Russ stared at him for a second longer as he talked with the owner before the man's face slipped into a more neutral expression. And Milt wondered for a moment what they looked like sitting across the table from one another, casual and seemingly relaxed, though it was not the time or the place for such thinking. He wondered though, if they came across as 'together', in the way he desired, and not the business and the muscle, how Russ described them.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ was tired of getting shot at… He knew it was inevitable, just a part of the job. But no one else got shot at half as much as him… or hurt during every single case… Maybe it was his bad luck. That would explain why he always had Milt tagging along after him. Speaking of the Alpha, at least this time he wasn't there to hurl himself into the line of fire… Russ could live without that ever happening again, like ever…

But hey, they got their warrant. So what if McFarland wasn't their guy in the end, the guy was a shady bastard and the deserved to sweat a little.

Another upside to being shot at, and Milt's concern that came afterwards, Russ just about forgot what the man said over breakfast. It was hard to find reasons to like Milt when he turned around and said things like that. No one else ever saw that side of the Alpha, and Russ was beginning to wonder if he reserved the cold eyes and steely voice just for him. He thought Milt should probably share that side with others. Just imagine how they'd see him then. Like Russ saw him: the devil…

But like he said, almost forgot. The words still stung, and Russ wished they didn't affect him like they did. It was just Milt. Milt didn't know anything about Russ. He didn't know anything about his life. He just thought he did. If he'd care to ask, Russ might open up, but Milt didn't ask; he assumed. Which was totally different than what Russ did. Russ did ask, but Milt stayed tightlipped. So Russ made guess, picked at his character, and made an effort not to believe a single lie the FBI Agent tried to pass as truth.

Yup, Milt was still a douche. A douche that maybe cared about him more than Russ thought he should. A douche that maybe, just maybe Russ cared a little bit for too. But he was a douche nevertheless. And gods forbid, the Omega side of him was already thinking that Milt might just be his Special Agent Pain-in-the-Ass.

And if he may have touched Milt a little too much during McFarland's interrogation, surprising the Alpha, who kept his mouth shut but Russ saw the pleased look that settled on his face, he didn't care. It was almost like it bridged that gap between them, as Russ' hands settled on Milt's shoulders solidly. The one Russ had created after Milt knew, even when he wished Milt didn't. It was an apology, a forgiveness, and acceptance. And maybe it was the closest Russ had felt to another person in a long time.

Sitting in Milt's office waiting for the outcome of the tests, found them in comfortable silence. Neither said anything, anticipation on catching their murderer. Russ was thankful for the silence, and the fact that Milt didn't bring up breakfast, or the interrogation. The phone rang, breaking the silence, and bringing bad news. Now it was all up to Russ…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt wasn't surprised to learn about Russ' suspension. He was however surprised to see the man waltz into his office, sans tie, with a manila folder. Happy, but surprised. Just because Russ was suspended didn't mean that they couldn't discuss the case.

"Hey there, Russell, I'm glad you're here," Milt greeted, before glancing down at his keyboard. "So, I re-interviewed the widow, which was unfortunately not helpful, but I did start the process of… Why are you staring at me like that?" Milt trailed off, finally noticing the look on Russ' face as the other man did this odd little sway shimmy thing that was far too distracting. It was the look of a man who knew something that Milt didn't but wasn't too happy about it. The movement however was just distracting… plain and simple… If Russ wanted Milt to concentrate on what he was saying, he needed to stop… moving…

"Edward never went to McFarland's warehouse. He was drowned in a vat of syrup in his own sugar shack. His wife did it. He was abusing her," Russ said seriously, finally standing still, causing Milt's eyebrows to make their ascent into his hairline.

"Do you have proof?" Milt asked, and of course Russ did, in a way. And Milt believed him.

"No legal records, but plenty of hospital records," Russ answered somberly, handing over the file in his hands. "Broken ribs for 'falling off a horse'." Using air quotations on the obvious mistruth of how exactly Nyssa Floss had gotten injured. "Eight stitches in her lip from slippin' on the ice, and that's just from the last six months. We never searched his own sugar shack because she was never a suspect, and she said he never came home. I guarantee you that the syrup we find there will match the syrup in his lungs." Milt was impressed. This was a workable theory, and the more Russ talked while he flipped through the medical records that Russ brought in, it all kind of made sense.

Russ paused, after his explanation of the who's and why's, but Milt didn't look up, still scanning the files, pleased that Russ, even after being suspended, had brought them to him, not the BCPD, but to Milt himself. It said a lot, in its own way.

"I'll, ah, I'll go alert the papers so they can get your photo ready," Milt heard Russ say, knowing the man was being sardonic, but his tone made Milt smile, which he hid before he looked up at the man who had just turned as if to leave.

"Where did you come up with this theory?" Milt found himself asking, causing Russ to stop and turn back to him.

"Can't tell you that," Russ said quickly, almost sheepishly, as he rubbed at the stubble on his chin. Milt leaned back in his chair, trying not to show his amusement, while also trying not to focus too much on the expression Russ was wearing as he declared his sources off-limits. Then he started doing the little sway back and forth thing again, and Milt found it was still very distracting… Then Milt got an idea.

Reaching into his inner breast pocket, he took out his wallet as he stood. He tried to keep the smirk off his face but knew a little probably shined through, as he pulled the single bill from his wallet.

"You're going to pay me for a tip?" Russ asked, confused and forever cynical. Milt tried really hard not to let his amusement show… He really did. If the Omega took the money, Milt would be one step closer. Like he said, the fact the Omega came to him in the first place was a good sign!

"You were suspended from the BCPD, not the FBI. I'm hiring you as a consultant," Milt responded, using his 'Milt' voice, the one that always got to Russ. "We should do this thing together," he added, finding it really hard to keep a straight face. He wasn't mocking Russ mind you; he was just majorly amused by the situation he'd found himself in. First there was the unwarranted (read: not unwanted) touching in interrogation and now here Russ was, standing before him and looking at him like he couldn't be serious. Milt was more relieved really, because he'd said some things, and really, Russ had every right to still be angry, but here they were. Yup, here they were… Milt could make this work and fluster the Omega in the process. He liked Russ flustered.

For a moment there, as Milt held out the bill and Russ stared back, the Omega looked amused.

"For a dollar…?" he said, amusement quickly turning to insulted. To Milt, it was all quite adorable.

Milt, for lack of a better word, was smitten. In that moment he knew, without a doubt, that he was utterly and irreparably smitten with this grumpy, rough around the edges, but secretly sensitive Omega.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

They found their man, well, woman. Just as Russ had said, the beaten Omega finally stood up for herself. And it was just as Milt had said as well, they did it together.

And together they found themselves in the Commanders office with two confessions. Russ believed that Nyssa was guilty, but he knew how Guize worked, and knew what outcome she'd likely want to go with. He also knew that Nyssa Floss had suffered enough.

"Two confessions?" Guize questioned, peering up at them through her glasses. "So one of them is lying."

"She's lying," Russ started, even though he didn't believe a single word that came out of his own mouth. "Omegas that take abuse, keep on taking abuse. And she was half the size of her husband." He knew full well what an Omega pushed to the edge can accomplish, size difference or no.

"And backed into a corner," Milt broke in, much to Russ' irritation. "Dad's just taking a fall for her, just like he did when it happened. She seemed sincere to me." He was using the Milt voice again…

"Everyone seems sincere to you because you're a gracious man," Russ said, glancing jerkily at Milt before looking back a Guize. He didn't need to see the 'Milt' face along with the tone of voice…

"Thank you, Russ," Milt responded, as if he was really touched by Russ' comment, and maybe he was.

"See," Russ said, looking over at Milt, easily catching his eyes before continuing, "you thought I was being sincere." Out of the corner of his eye he saw Guize looking up at him with her 'play nice' expression, and he knew she found the whole commentary amusing. Milt didn't; he seemed a little peeved, if anything.

"Look, even if she didn't kill him, she's not just a victim here. She tried to frame someone," Milt tried in protest.

"She made a lot of bad choices," Guize said sagely. "She's long since paid the price."

"So we'll just keep investigation until we find…" Milt trailed off in a weird, oddly cute mumble of protest as Commander Guziewicz wads up the daughters confession, confusing the poor by-the-book Alpha.

"We've got a dad who wants to go to prison to protect his daughter," Guzie said regarding both of them for a few seconds each before continuing. "I say we let him. I like that ending better." She finished as she threw away the crumpled confession and got up leaving the two of them standing there; Russ somber, because he knew this would be how it ended, and Milt so adorably confused that Russ found it hard to stay somber. Confused was a good look on him.

Milt watched her go before turning his confusion on Russ. "Wha- So she doesn't care about the truth?"

"She cares deeply about the truth," Russ answered, voice patient and soft, "but she cares even more about justice." Then he left, just like that, knowing that Milt's mouth still hung agape in a confused attempt to try to understand what just happened, and Russ could only wonder what it was like for the guy who thought everything had to be perfect and by the book.

And yeah, confused was definitely Russ' favorite look on the Alpha.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Rain… Yeah, rain kind of sucked when you were stuck at work in the middle of the night and you worked for the BCPD…

Here he was again, with an overwhelming feeling of déjà vu. He'd gotten reinstated after the case closed up nicely, poor beaten Omega woman going free for something Russ really couldn't blame her for. Sometimes there was only so much you could take before you snapped.

But like he said, here he was again, standing in the hall outside the FBI's glass doors with Font; once again with a case and an order to 'grab Milt' and check it out. Total déjà vu.

Seriously though, they could handle a case of missing headlights in the high school parking lot! If they needed Milt for this, then they weren't cut out for their jobs.

"Woah, seriously," Russ asked incredulously. Font just looked at him like he seriously wasn't pulling this again. Like it hadn't turned out well for them last time…

"Come on, we got this," Russ said with certainty, his conviction winning his partner over once again. If he needed Milt for this, then maybe he should just out himself as an Omega and try for the easy life!

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Like déjà vu, Milt watched Russ and Font in the reflection of his iPad. He knew Russ coming to him about the previous case with the abused Omega information was a step in the right direction, but once again it was two steps forward and five steps back in progress. He was also pretty sure that Russ didn't believe it was the father either, but something, maybe the empathy that Milt thought he lacked, sided him with the other Omega, which, in the long run could be a good thing.

Milt hoped there'd come a time when the Commander didn't have to make the suggestion or order for Russ to get Milt, but Russ would come to him anyway. Maybe he was a bit spoiled by Russ' attention. Perhaps he expected too much after the time they'd worked together on the last case. He was certain he was making leeway in his plans to woo the unruly Omega, but now… Well, he wasn't one to doubt himself…

Nope, FBI Special Agent Milt Chamberlain wasn't a quitter, and that's probably half the reason he was here in Battle Creek in the first place, so if Russ wanted to put that distance back between them like last, time he'd have to find time away from Milt to do it.

And suddenly he remembered that he'd never gotten the chance to talk to Russ about his suppressants. That in of itself was looking to be an uphill battle, but Milt was determined to talk to the Omega about it, finally feeling he had a firmer foot in the subject.

With renewed purpose, resolve and vigor Milt rose from his chair, placing his iPad on his desk before grabbing up his raingear and exiting his office.

"Goodnight, Agent Chamberlain," Rebecca, his newest assistant, bade him as he walked by.

"Goodnight, Rebecca," he greeted back, his customary 'Good Guy Milt' smile coming easier than usual to his face, and maybe even feeling a little less fake and forced. And if there was a pep to his step, she didn't comment as he added, "Why don't you head on home? It's going to be a long night."

After all, he had to stick to Russ long enough that the Omega realized that Milt wasn't going anywhere anytime soon!

~ Fin ~


	3. Part 3A - An Omega's Best Friend

Unconventional Omegas

Omega # 1 – Russell Agnew

Part 3A – An Omega's Best Friend…

The Big Bad Wolf is a metaphor for… Special Agent Milt Chamberlain, and no, Russ was not the Little Red Riding Hood in that equation… The more Milt smiled, baring perfect white teeth in his usual charming smile, the more Russ was convinced. After getting to know Milt more, he could understand how certain people believed that their animalistic traits and instincts made them closer to wolves or dogs. But Milt, Milt was pure wolf, plain and simple.

Watching Milt talk up a room full of 4th Graders before having to get up there after him was proving to be as daunting and humiliating as just about everything else Russ knew he couldn't do quite as well as the Alpha. And Russ refused to name the feeling that squirmed around in the pit of his stomach as he watched the other man smile and laugh with the kids. Pushing that thought aside he tried focusing on his shortcomings. This thought alone led him back around to the simple and unarguable fact that he wasn't very Omega in the least. Omegas liked kids right? They were supposed to be good with them, explaining why a lot of working Omega took jobs as school teachers, and not something, like, I don't know, say a cop…

Well… It wasn't that Russ didn't like kids… He had no problem with them, actually. Sometimes he even thought about what it'd be like, if he were anyone other than himself, having a brood of his own. Which was something that was likely to never happen, especially at the rate Russ was going, and no, that little warm feeling in the pit of his stomach he was starting to identify as an Omega instinct thing, did not wiggle back to life at the thought. No, Russ liked kids just fine; kids just normally didn't have the same feelings for him in return…

Getting in front of the kids seemed to do nothing more than prove him right on his own assessment of himself and his lack of Omegan appeal… As they stared all dead-eyed and blank faced back at him, he battled with the frustration and hopelessness of the situation he'd found himself in. Font standing next to him did little to calm his nerves, and he swore he was about to break down into a panic attack, and boy wouldn't that be super!

It was the eyes, locked on him over the heads of the zombie-faced little drone monsters, that helped ease his panic. And wasn't that a kick in the pants. Milt didn't look amused by his flustered state, his eyes steady, hands in his pockets, standing tall, shoulders back and face neutral, all Alpha and confident as always. If the tables were turned, Russ would be enjoying the hell out of this, but they weren't so maybe he was a little grateful that the Alpha wasn't deriving happiness from his inability to stand and address a roomful of children without breaking into a nervous sweat. He could only imagine what the Alpha thought of him now… Not that he cared… Milt's opinion concerning him and his status did not interest him even remotely.

Thank god it ended without him passing out, or Cookie attacking anyone... He refused to believe it was because Milt's gaze gave him something to focus on besides how terribly the whole thing was going. That and the little encouraging gestures; Milt flashing him a sincere look with a tiny smile of encouragement and a thumbs up came unbidden in his mind, the memory still new and fresh there, but old enough it shouldn't still cause that tiny flutter of something in his stomach… even though it still did… Not encouraging in the least…

What Omega panicked in a room full of children…?

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt honestly could say he liked kids. It was easier to get up here in front of all these little guys and smile and laugh than it was going before his peers and trying to convince them that he was nothing more than what he said he was. But yeah, Milt liked kids. He even thought about making a family, once or twice. Maybe do like his parents did. Finding the right Omega had been step one, and honestly he'd never gotten farther than that. For the first time in a while Milt let his mind linger over the what might be and what could be section of his future.

Things were looking pretty good, actually, in that department. Without a doubt, he believed that Russ was the right Omega, but step two had been changed to convincing the other man that it was all right to pursue him instead of the original courting plan that would have naturally came next. And as Milt stood in front of the 4th Graders, attention divided between the here and now and what was swirling inside his own head, he couldn't help glance in the Detective's direction.

Russ was staring at the drawn pictures of wolves tacked to the wall beside him, a look of concentration on his face. Milt could guess what was running through that wonderful mind of his as Milt smiled his most charming of smiles and Russ' eyes found their way back to him. If Russ was determined to see him as the Big Bad Wolf, then he'd just have to help Russ realize that he was his Little Red Riding Hood, no substitutions, no mistakes.

And there it was, pure happiness, a feeling Milt was wondering if he'd ever feel again. Just the thought of the possibility of a better future, one that included the two of them as a team, a partnership, a family, had him a little light headed and giddy. Maybe he was putting the cart before the horse, but it'd been so long since things didn't feel hopeless. It'd been so long since Milt wanted something so bad. And it had been even longer since he thought he deserved anything quite this good.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Exiting the school building, following after Font and Cookie, Russ couldn't stop himself from commenting now that they were practically home free and back at the office, "She's never well-behaved, that's why I told you not to bring her…" He grumbled, nerves finally settling as he regarded his partner and their 'drug dog'.

"Sorry, I thought kids love dogs," Font responded, and maybe Russ wasn't so hopelessly out of his depth as he thought if Font really thought kids would like a dog like Cookie. Hell, Russ had a hard time liking Cookie, and Omega were partial to dogs, liking the comfort and companionship.

"No, kids love puppies, because their small and they smell nice and all they wanna do is lick your face," Russ tried to explain to Font, because really, bad judgement call on Font's part. "Dogs are big and old and smell like a moldy carpet, and all they wanna do is crap, shed, slobber and sleep, or whatever they do."

"Yeah, puppies aren't the only things kids love," Font commented, taking no real offense to Russ' words, glancing back over his shoulder. "Milt's really kinda the perfect Alpha, isn't he?"

Russ just snorted in response, refusing to give Font's question a real answer. Honestly he didn't trust which part of him would answer, because being around the persistently optimistic Alpha seemed to make a part of him open its eyes to things he'd tried to stay blind to for so many years. Looking in the direction that Font indicated Russ felt the warmth of something he'd go so far as to say fondness blossom in his chest alarmingly close to his heart. "Oh, man… See that's not right. Everything the FBI has is shiny and brand-new," he said, no real venom behind the words like usual, eyes focused on Milt interacting with the kids as they climbed all over his SUV. He could pretend that hearing Milt's laughter carry all the way across the distance at their antics didn't affect the warmth he still refused to fully acknowledge that nestled deeper in his chest, but by the look Font was giving him, he knew his face didn't have its usual look of irritation… Gods only knew what his partner saw when he looked over at him then before he could school his features into something more Russ like, and less Omega-Russ like…

Then as things were general want to do, things kinda took a turn for the… odd…

Cookie going all Kujo, odd…

For a reason, mind you, or so it turned out…

Kids backpacking (literally) heroin? Not something he thought he'd ever see in Battle Creek…

Questioning a 4th Grader on how she got the heroin… also not something he thought he'd ever be doing…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt leaned back against the low table, hands braced by his sides, holding him in place. He probably looked relaxed and concerned, but really he was fighting to keep himself in check. It was Russ' fault, really, for using that voice and such an open expression while talking to the little girl. By that voice, Milt meant the soft inviting one; companioned with the expression of vulnerable trustworthiness, he's surprised the girl hasn't cracked yet… he would have… And wasn't that an interesting image, mentally putting himself in her position, within a completely different context, where Russ spoke to him in such a soft tone so the older detective would have to lean closer in an almost a conspiratorial way, eyes wide open and inviting Milt to just lean forward and take what was blatantly being offered, take what belonged to him all along…

Russ' eyes brought him back from that happy little thought rather quickly as he glanced up at Milt, whose thoughts must have caused a slight enough change in his demeanor for it to draw Russ' attention. Milt supposed that now was as good a time as any to voice an opinion. Don't get him wrong, as much as he loved seeing this different, gentler, side of Russ, this could come back and bite them in the ass, seeing as how questioning her without her parents present was against the law.

He found an opportunity to voice his views when Russ left to get the girl some juice.

"We need to wait for her parents," Milt stressed his point to Russ as the Omega riffled through lunch boxes someone had left behind.

"Relax, we're not waterboarding her," Russ appeased, turning to face Milt, flashing his prize of a grape juice box smugly. "We're just helping her help us." Milt wasn't surprised to find the man refusing to see reason on this topic, much like many of the others they've had differing opinions on.

"It's only helpful if it's admissible," Milt responded, trying to use law logic to win Russ over. "You can't question a minor without the consent of a parent…"

"Yeah we can, if we don't arrest her," Russ said, passing by Milt with two juice boxes in hand.

For a moment there was a shift in the air around him, as Russ walked by to go back to the room where Font and the little girl were waiting, and Milt smelled it. It was the scent of an unbonded Omega. The scent of Russ.

He wanted to stop him then, bring Russ' attention to the fact that his scent was leaking through. He wanted, more than anything, to slip into imposing Alpha mode and crowd the Omega against the nearest wall until he yielded, neck tilting just so, inviting Milt to scent and claim if that's what he desired. Oh, he desired… He'd drink his fill of it first, nose buried where shoulder met neck, soaking in the other man's unique scent. Then he'd tease the soft flesh with teeth and tongue before finally giving in and allowing himself to break skin…

But it wasn't the time for those thoughts…

A part of Milt, that big part that worried, he refused to say needlessly, alerted him to something about the scent being not quite right. It wasn't time for another heat, not this soon, and the scent lacked the spiciness of heat, yet there was something about it that seemed just a bit off. It was soft and sweet making Milt think of sunshine and fabric softener, warm sheets and bright laughter, with a tinge of something else, something almost sickly sweet, underlying his natural scent. Russ' scent was a lazy Sunday spent in bed, but something dark and hazy seemed to lurk just behind it, and that, that's what set Milt to worry. But Milt couldn't think about that right now; Russ didn't give him the option to, not with Russ about to barge back into the room to start back up his questioning. He'd tell Russ when they got back to the office, try to bring it up gently, right now he'd just have to try his damnedest to concentrate and keep this from going as bad as he anticipated.

"Well actually, any custodial interrogation requires you to wait for the parent to be there," Milt finally said, pleased to see that he may finally be getting to Russ, who slowed to a stop before turning to look at him with as much stubbornness as always.

"Hey, she's not in custody," Russ said, sounding almost offended by Milt's implication that he was holding the girl there against her will.

"You think she feels free to go?" Milt shot back, because seriously, he wasn't getting through to Russ, or so it seemed. And of course this prompted Russ into sharing one of his little theories, as his sass level dialed up to an eight, something, that Milt found more adorable than he probably should and equally exasperating.

And in the end maybe Russ was a little right for trying to get the information before the parents got there, even though his keeping her after school is probably why the mother refused to cooperate so vehemently. Russ clearly was unpleased and still didn't look at all convinced that he'd done anything wrong, the look he regarded Milt with saying as much.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ still thought it was the parents… He wasn't prone to changing that opinion anytime soon; that's why he refused to waver from keeping an eye on them in the investigation. Thanks to Holly's idea about the social worker he was wandering around 'his' prime suspects house while Milt talked to the parents in their living room. The social worker, an Omega, about average height and blonde with the kind face that seemed reserved for just about every Omega but him, kept glancing at him from time to time. She was also carrying, something that surprised Russ more than the lack of nothing they'd turned up so far in their search of the house. Most Alpha had a hard time letting their Omega leave the house while pregnant, let alone keep working.

He caught her gaze as she tried stealing another glance of him out of the corner of her eye. His expression, a bit pinched, relaxed as her eyes skittered away from him again. She didn't appear nervous, just curious, as she dared another glance at him, blushing when she got caught once again.

"Somethin' wrong?" Russ asked, not sure why she kept looking at him with thinly veiled curiosity. Stopping her slow pacing around the room, her clipboard resting gently against her baby bump, she looked at him before glancing back towards the living area where the two betas were still waiting with Milt.

"Can I ask you a question, detective?" she finally said, honey colored eyes wide and imploring, voice low as if she didn't want to be overheard by anyone else in the house.

"Shoot," Russ said, not really knowing what this was about but lowering his voice to match hers, eyes searching her face for any hint to what her question could pertain too, not liking the doe-eyed look she was now giving him. That look was also very Omega. It was the look that said, 'hey, hey, you can trust me' and 'what harm could I do'.

"I know it's not really a crime… Not like it was way back in the day… Or any of my business for that matter… But," her eyes grew even wider and sincere as she tried to get to the question part of whatever this was, "are you on Omega suppressants?"

Russ couldn't help the surprised look on his face at her words, unable to respond before she started talking again in a rushed whisper.

"I'm sorry! I know it's not my business… but I thought something was off about your scent… I didn't mean to insult you or anything by sticking my nose in your business like this; it's just I've been more sensitive lately, due to you know," she says motioning down at her distended stomach, "and I've met other Omega with similar… erm… issues so-"

"What…?" Russ finally managed. Now is not really the time for this… but… she just seemed so worried and he was super confused how she could even tell.

"I've heard about some Omega suppressants lately that are causing serious health issues to the Omegas taking them. A friend of mine was forced to come off her suppressants permanently; they were causing flash heats and ended up intensifying her scent. Then there was the pain, cramps and headaches. The damage done to her uterus was irreparable by the time they realized what was going on. The doctors told her that she stayed on them too long, and most suppressants weren't meant to be used long term. Your scent, it's so similar, in a way. It has a fever smell to it," Tina, her name was Tina, Russ recalled, blinked at him worriedly, and Russ felt like the floor had suddenly been jerked from underneath his feet. Tina reached out with a steadying hand, trying to convey a bit of comfort in the touch, but he pulled himself together, moving away from her gentling hands. "I'm not trying to assume or insinuate, but the recalls on a lot of the drugs have been getting pretty serious, and I don't want to see another Omega suffer from trying to protect their self like she has."

This was something he'd thought he'd been monitoring pretty well on his own. Although, ignoring the slight pains and nausea… the headaches… wasn't considered monitoring very well, now was it? Yeah, when questioned by the Omega Clinics he visited he'd lie about how long he'd been on the suppressants. He'd heard some of the stories but having some of the symptoms pointed out to him and realizing that they apply to him specifically was something else.

Now that it was brought to his attention he could detect the light notes of his natural scent seeping through the beta musk he'd gotten so used to dousing himself in every morning, and the panic in him began to rise, but he pushed it back down fiercely. Russ Agnew didn't panic. He was fine. _But…_ an insistent little voice whispered in the back of his head. He had been feeling off lately, chalking it up to having to put up with long hours and working with an irritating Alpha like Milt. He should have noticed that something was wrong! It was his body, dammit. He was losing control of it, and it took a pregnant Omega with a sensitive nose to point it out to him. And that caused another wave of panic that he stamped down on vehemently, trying to think logically. Who else had noticed? And what about Milt? Had the Alpha, who seemed to always be there at his side lately, noticed? If he had then why didn't he say anything? He just let Russ wander around smelling like a sick Omega that rolled around in a Beta's laundry hamper! Russ could feel his anger overtake his panic easily. Anger was good. Anger was something he was used to, something he could work with.

"Detective," Tina's voice sounded worried, probably because he hadn't said anything yet in response to her worry, his silence taken as a bad sign. Maybe she thought he'd slipped into a state of shock, as her hands tentatively reached forward as if to calm him, but once again he stepped away, not proud of himself at all when she flinched away from the anger clearly shinning in his eyes.

"Sorry…" he mumbled, meaning it, turning to seek out the bastard that probably could have saved him from the embarrassment of a stranger telling him about his own damned scent. "We're done here," he added, voice low, anger a slow burn in the pit of his stomach.

The anger was welcome, clearing his mind. In that moment of clarity he had realized that the parents, as much of a pain in the ass as they were being, weren't the ones he was looking for. They weren't responsible for the heroin; all they were responsible for was protecting their little girl from a cop who seemed a little over eager to catch some bad guys. Geez, he was a dick… Add that to his list of faults and really, he was a worthless scrap of person. An Omega who couldn't be honest and now might be losing his only means to lie about everything he'd kept hidden for so very long. And his steps faltered before he could fully take the first, the worry and fear that something might possibly be horribly wrong overtaking the anger that could more than likely be misplaced.

Slowly he turned to the other Omega, making sure his voice and face were as neutral as possible, god only knew she'd seen too many sides to him so far, he asked something he would probably regret, also feeling that he already knew the answer, "Your friend, what happened to her…? If it's alright me asking…"

She seemed a bit taken aback by his shift in demeanor, but a look of understanding suddenly settled in her eyes as she nodded slowly. It was like this meek little woman, an Omega all her life, knew his emotions better than he did. Maybe it was an Omega thing.

"She's barren…" Tina said, afraid of the truth of what she was saying but still feeling that Russ needed to hear it all the same. There was something else there that she wasn't saying, but Russ didn't want to jump to conclusions. Surely if suppressants were killing Omega or even making them infertile they'd be yanked off the market. But then again… his didn't come from the same market anyway, and if the over the counter stuff was bad…

Russ took in a deep breath, pulling his own murky scent through his nose before releasing it quickly. He'd come here to find some drug dealers, and stumbled upon his own death sentence of a sort… He suddenly felt stupid, and useless, and terrified, and not worth the effort people put into him… People like the Commander and Holly… Like Milt… He felt lost…

He'd spent most of his life fighting what he was, who he was… Now that he faced losing it, that part that he had resented and hidden away for so long, he found he didn't want to. He wanted to stay Omega, even as poor of an excuse for one as he seemed to be. He wanted Milt to keep looking at him like he saw something there that was worth something, someone worth wanting. Gods know he'd never tell him that, though.

He barely noticed Tina hovering around him trying to discern whether or not he may have an episode of panic Omega in distress sometimes exhibited, not really knowing what to do with an Omegan male at least ten years older than her having a crisis caused by nothing… But lucky for her, he was unlike any other Omega she'd likely ever met. He could handle it all, the panic, the fear, the self-loathing that kept trying to bubble up to the surface.

"Thanks, but I'm fine. Sorry about your friend," he said finally, voice even while trying to look compassionate, probably not pulling it off nearly as well as Milt could have even though he meant the part about her friend. He schooled his features and smiled at her, receiving a skeptical look in exchange, probably over the part where he claimed to be fine, before turning back towards where he was sure he'd find Milt and the girl's parents in a circle of mutual respect and understanding, connecting feelings or whatever crap he was lulling them in with.

He needed Milt…

As if summoned by Russ' thoughts there he was, face slowly shifting from 'hey, you'll never guess what I found out' to something that Russ's seen way too often, vaguely recognizing his own name dying on Milt's lips. Russ was sure he looked like Russ, but something in Milt's expression told him that Milt saw all the emotions swirling behind his disgruntled mask, and that in itself was enough to send Russ racing home to hide himself away from the Alpha who always seemed to see too much. He supposed he should get used to it, because if what Tina had said was true and his suppressants were messing him up everyone would likely be seeing the real Russ for the first time. The thought of staying on them and risking that part of himself that he'd rejected for such a long time didn't seem like an option. And wasn't that a terrifying thought…

He didn't give Milt time to say anything, just strode past him on his way toward the car. It was a small escape, and he really wasn't looking forward to the ride back to the precinct.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Her uncle was Joey Ferraro. Joey had plenty of opportunities to get his hands on some heroin. This was a bit of info Milt was eager to share with his wayward partner who had disappeared further into the house with the social worker.

Leaving the parents in their living room, he headed through the kitchen towards where he was certain Russ and the social worker would be ending their rather quiet inspection. What he found had his new little bit of information fleeing to the 'not really important at the moment' bin in his brain.

"Russ…" Milt said the older detective's name, voice trailing off, as he looked from the face of the man he thought he was starting to understand pretty well to the guilty look the social worker wore as she looked up at Milt over Russ' shoulder with apologetic eyes. Something about Russ' expression was off, besides lacking the normal displeasure of Milt being in his radius.

Then Russ was moving forward, eyes darting away from Milt as he all but ran from the room, from Milt and the social worker. Milt was left there, staring after Russ' retreating back, hearing him apologize sincerely to the parents before there came a thump from the front door as he left the house, hopefully to sit and wait for Milt in the SUV.

"I'm sorry, I think I caused this…" Tina, the social worker, said so sincere it made Milt's heart ache a little for her. His eyes swept back to her as she spoke.

"I'm sure it wasn't-" Milt started but she cut him off, eyes fixed on where Russ had made his hasty exit.

"No, I said something about… I think I scared him, and I didn't mean too. I'm sorry. But, Agent Chamberlain, your partner may be really sick… And I was... I am worried about him," she said in a rush, hands fidgeting with her clipboard as she struggled to meet his eyes.

"No, it's okay," Milt said as calmly as he can, not sure what she could have said to Russ that would cause the man to flee at the mere sight of Milt. Other than his eagerness to leave the house, Russ hadn't outwardly seemed like anything was wrong. But he suspected that whatever he'd picked up as soon as he'd looked at the other man had also been evident to the other Omega, who seemed to think she was accountable. "I guess we're done here. The parents check out, and I'm going to assume the two of you didn't find anything incriminating." She shook her slowly, and he tried giving her his best winning smile, which was harder than usual with all the worry swirling in his gut.

"We should head on out. I'd hate to keep you any longer. The department, Russ and I, appreciate your willingness to help us out today."

"It was nothing…" she responded, before pulling her bottom lip between her teeth in an easily recognized nervous gesture. "Just… Will you keep an eye on him… Agent Chamberlain…? He's got the scent of fever, just like Miranda did, and it turned out to be too late for her… Omega, no matter how strong, can't keep up like I think he has… and I just don't want it to be too late. I can tell he doesn't like what we are, but I just know that if… I think once it's gone is when we realize that we really needed it…" With that said she scuttled past him and out of the house, similar to Russ' fashion.

Milt was confused by her words, he wouldn't lie about that… but there was something else, an understanding of sorts. He knew, deep down, what this was about, what she was so worried about; he just refused to give reality to those fears until he knew for certain, until he'd spoken to the clearly spooked Russ. And he'd have the whole drive to the precinct to do it. He'd talk with Russ, his Omega, and Milt almost laughed at how easily it was to see Russ as 'his', but now wasn't the time and the worry easily swallowed up his humor.

~ TBC ~


	4. Part 3B - An Omega's Best Friend

Unconventional Omegas

Omega # 1 – Russell Agnew

Part 3B – An Omega's Best Friend…

Russ sat stiffly in the passenger seat of Milt's SUV, staring out of the front dash, refusing to look at Milt as the Agent climbed into the driver's seat and started up the engine. The tension in the air was thick and stifling, but Russ refused to be the one to talk first. He was too afraid of what would come out of his mouth. Would it be curses to the man who possibly scented the shift in his scent this whole time, or would he say something stupid about how terrified he really was even when he refused to show it?

Thank the gods Milt broke the silence first.

"The girl's uncle," Milt began, eyes focused on the road as he pulled out onto the empty street. "I know him."

His voice was even and professional and Russ was both glad and upset that Milt was talking about the case and not the horrible mess that was turning out to be Russ' life.

"You busted him before?" Russ asked shifting in his seat so he was looking at Milt, genuinely curious about the new information, easily pushing his own personal issues to the wayside.

"No, I was at a BBQ at his house last weekend," Milt continued, glancing over at Russ, whose attention he held fully. There was an unreadable expression on his face as he regarded Russ with dark eyes, making the Omega squirm just a bit more on the leather. Milt took a deep breath, eyes going sharp as he clenched his jaw, as if to stop him from saying something, before he turned back to watch the road and spoke levelly. "I'm actually surprised you weren't there…"

Russ was confused… Milt had wanted to say something else, Russ was sure, but all he had was what Milt had decided to say instead of what he had wanted to say. Russ' confusion made itself known… loudly…

"What the hell are you talking about?"

"I'm sure you know him," Milt said, glancing over at Russ again, face a smooth Milt shaped mask of indifference meaning he was hiding something behind it, "Joey Ferraro. He's a Battle Creek cop. He would definitely have access to heroine."

"Joey…?" Russ couldn't hide the gob smacked look even if he'd tried, and Milt just bobbed his head in the affirmative. The car fell silent then, as Russ turned away from Milt to study the sidewalk outside the passenger window. He'd known Joey for a few years, ever since the Alpha had joined the BCPD. They didn't mingle much, usually only at crime scenes, but still, Russ didn't want to think of the man who seemed to be a pretty decent cop as a dealer. He just couldn't imagine Joey Ferraro using his niece to move heroine either… He also couldn't believe the man didn't invite him to his BBQ! Russ loved a good BBQ; everyone knew that! He felt slighted…

Suddenly Russ didn't want to talk about the elephant in the SUV… He wanted to sit in silence and refuse to think about it really, but after several minutes of silence, Milt seemed to have other plans.

"We need to talk," the Alpha said, clearing his voice with a slight cough; he sounded unsure and uncomfortable. Very un-Milt like for damned sure, and a part of Russ was amused by it, but another part was equally wary.

"No, we really don't," was Russ' automatic response. Milt was having none of it; however, as he just barreled right though his own unease and Russ' dismissal.

"Earlier at the school, I noticed your scent bleeding through… I was going to say something to you about it, but never got a moment to really bring it up… Then there was what the social worker said…" Milt trailed off, seemingly unsure of how to continue, and Russ couldn't handle this side of Milt. Milt was always sure, always confident. One of them had to be. Russ caught the determination in Milt's eyes as he glanced over at him before snapping them back to the road, and Russ steadied himself, getting ready for what he was sure Milt was about to ask. "It's your suppressants, isn't it?"

Even though he'd tried to prepare himself for the question, Russ still didn't know how to respond. Best to go with the truth, Russ supposed, because he had a sinking feeling deep in his gut that there would come a time when he'd need the support Milt was so eager to give, and that that time wasn't as far off in the future as he'd hope.

"Yeah…" He said he'd go with the truth, but he wasn't going to just spill like an easy interrogation. Russ was a lot of things, but easy wasn't one of them.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt rarely experienced moments of uncertainty, like now. Should he press Russ for more or just let the man sit in the silence he seemed to want?

' _Agent Chamberlain, your partner may be really sick…'_

Worry twisted in Milt's stomach as he remembered what Tina had said.

' _He's got the scent of fever, just like Miranda did, and it turned out to be too late for her… Omega, no matter how strong, can't keep up like I think he has… and I just don't want it to be too late.'_

He couldn't bear the thought of a possibility of losing Russ, even to the man's own stubborn nature. If the suppressants were hurting Russ, they'd have to go. There would be an argument, Milt was sure, one he'd have to win.

No time like the present, he thought as he steeled his resolve to break the silence and try and persuade Russ to see reason. Imagine his surprise when it didn't quite turn out to be the battle he'd thought it would.

"Russ," Milt started softly, letting his feelings bleed into his words, hoping that Russ could understand how he felt without Milt actually having to say it outright, because now wasn't the time, even if the feelings were there. Later, he promised himself, they'd have time much later. Time when Russ could listen to Milt without turning and running from all the Alpha had to offer. Milt would give Russ the world if the Omega would just stay with him long enough to realize it. But first baby-steps…

"You can't stay on them if they are hurting you…" Milt made the command sound as much like an opinion as he could, and the sharp glance Russ shot at him said he hadn't done it well enough. But the fight, the anger at being told what to do by an Alpha that he couldn't stand didn't come. Instead, Russ looked tired, bone weary, Milt thought worriedly.

"I know…" Russ groaned, his expression the picture of hopelessness and reluctance before he buried his face in his hands, leaning forward in his seat, seat belt making the movement limited. There was fear behind those eyes, the soft brown that made Milt feel warm on the inside. Milt wasn't sure if the fear was caused by what the suppressants had done to him, or what would become of him without them to hide him away from the world. Either way, Milt didn't like it; the look didn't suit the Omega.

"Hey." Before he even realized it he had reached over and placed his right hand on Russ's left knee, settling it there, just a touch no force or grip, feeling the heat seep from his palm through the rough material of Russ' slacks to the skin underneath. Russ was looking at him now, Milt could feel it, the wide blown brown eyes that he'd become so damned fond of staring at him in confusion and shock, as he drove down the empty street, eyes trained ahead, but all his senses focused on his passenger. And damned if he could help it, but when they stopped at the red light, Milt turned to face the still silent man who kept looking at him like he'd grown a second head.

Before his brain could catch up with his actions, he'd leaned forward, Russ' scent thick in the confined space spurring him into action, catching the Omega off guard, pressing his lips against a mouth that was much softer than it appeared. After a beat, Russ gave a strangled moan mixed with a gasp against Milt's closed mouth before pressing forward almost needy, eyes slipping closed and lips parting on a lovely low whine.

This wasn't what he'd had in mind when he'd thought about how to erase that hopeless look from Russ' eyes, but Milt wasn't one to refuse when it was something that both of them seemed to need on equal parts. Much like everything Milt did, he threw himself into the kiss, eyes open, drinking in the sight of his Omega the way he wanted him, left hand coming up to wrap securely around the back of Russ's neck, fingers brushing through the soft hair at the base of Russ' skull. The light was probably green, but they were alone on the quite little street and Milt couldn't find a reason to care if this was semi-public display of affection between an unmated pair. Instead he poured every ounce of need and want into the kiss, drowning Russ in the feelings that kept Milt up many a night, and Russ drank it all in with little needy whines in the back of his throat as his hands curled into fists in the front of Milt's shirt, wrinkling the material for sure, not that Milt could be bothered to care.

Their first kiss would become a beautiful disaster, one that Milt would look back on with a smile once the darkness, brought on by unavoidable events, rolled away leaving the memory untarnished by what would inevitably follow.

Breaking away slowly, Milt pressed his forehead to Russ's, breathing harshly in tandem. Russ' big brown eyes blinked open, dazed and beautiful, free of fear of the unknown and that shadow of hopelessness, like Milt had wanted. The Omega, to his credit, didn't pull away immediately as he came back to himself, remembering where they were, who they were. Instead, he let Milt continue to grip the back of his neck soft yet firmly holding him in place, breathing the same air.

"No matter what happens between you and me, you and the department, or even you and the world I'm in your corner," Milt murmured against Russ' kiss swollen lips, eyes fixed on the warm chocolate eyes that never failed making his heart skip a beat. He was pretty sure, despite continuously telling himself to wait, that it wasn't the right time, Russ knew about his intentions. The man was one of the best detectives he knew, so saying it aloud wouldn't matter right?

"Why me?" Russ said suddenly, catching Milt off-guard, unsure how to answer until Russ elaborated. "Why are you willing to go through so much for an old stubborn Omega like me? I've been nothing but a pain in the ass to you since you got here, but you just keep sticking around like I'll cave… Just, why?"

"I want… No, I need…" Now Milt was sounding like the needy one… "The Omega in you appeals to the Alpha in me. No other Omega, just you…" And gods wasn't that just horribly embarrassing to admit, but Milt needed to show honesty right now more than ever.

"You're in love with me then?" It was said so quietly it was barely a whisper, but Milt heard him, somehow missing the hopeful note laced behind the words. Everything rested on a point, leaning precariously back, a continuation of their semi-hostile past, and forward, an unknown future that they could tackle together. Milt wouldn't have thought in a million years that when this moment came it would be him that would ruin everything, but he did, his greatest display of foot-in-mouth to date.

"It's not love, Russ," Milt stated matter of fact. "It's the chemistry of potential suited mates." He should have been able to see the hurt flash in those brown eyes he loved looking at so much, but somehow he overlooked it, too thrown by the idea of love when all he was really expecting was a deep fondness, a potential mate, and family. Was he in love with Russ? He could see falling so deeply in love with the man given the time to let his feelings mature and grow from the overwhelming affection he already felt for the man.

"I see," Russ said, tone hard as he released the grip he still had on Milt's shirt before removing Milt's hands from him. It was like all the warmth in the SUV had been sucked out with those two sharp edged words, leaving behind a foreboding chill. Milt couldn't think of a reason to hold on to the Omega as he pulled away almost violently. And before he knew what had just happened the seatbelt clicked at Russ's hip, and the door was open, Russ stepping out onto the empty sidewalk back straight, shoulders stiff.

"Thanks, but no thanks," the Omega said, glancing back at Milt with hard eyes. "I don't need you, and frankly I don't trust you enough to want you in "my corner" as you say it." And with that said he closed the door loudly, on the verge of slamming it, before turning and walking away down the sidewalk.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ had been stupid… He'd gotten caught up in his own little fantasy, thinking that Milt was in love with him. It was laughable; really, he just wasn't in the mood to laugh. He didn't know if he would ever find humor in what had just happened. Of course it all came down to biological imperative. For some unknown messed up reason Milt saw him as a desirable mate, nothing more, and he'd let himself get caught in feelings.

Russ was in love with Milt, the stabbing pain in his chest all the evidence he cared to even pay mind to. Sure, there were probably indicators pointing out his horribly unfounded feelings, but the gripping pain that continued to crush his heart when he thought about how Milt had responded to his question… Of course Milt couldn't love Russ… He could kiss him and smile at him, and say all the pretty words that made things not seem so bad, so terrifying, but he didn't love him while doing it, so what was the point?

Maybe Russ shouldn't be choosy about what he gets versus what he wants. An hour ago he was an Omega struggling with indecision on whether or not he wanted to keep up the Beta ruse or not, even though now the option seemed to be taken out of his hands. Weeks ago he was an Omega seeing the merits in being of his gender for the first time in a long time. A month ago he was an Omega hiding from the world in the skin of a surly unlovable Beta.

No, he probably shouldn't be choosey, but damn if he was going to let an Alpha like Milt 'pick' him for whatever reason as an ideal, when he had been struggling against his own nature for so long.

Russ deserved better than 'compatibility', finally believing it as the truth. He didn't need Milt to save him. He didn't want Milt to save him. He didn't want… Milt… No, that even felt like a lie as it formed into thought. He couldn't want Milt if Milt just saw the Omega in him. He needed something more, deserved more. He owed it to himself to let himself have more.

Russ' thoughts were a swirling mess of a storm in his head as he made his way to his apartment. Luckily, it wasn't that far. He needed the time to think, to breathe in air that didn't stink of Alpha. He'd get himself a shower, cover his scent as best he could, and think out his next move before getting Font to come pick him up, since his car was still parked next to his rickety little reserved parking sign.

He made it to his apartment without interruption. Only slightly surprised and immensely relieved that Milt hadn't come after him. He didn't know what he would do if he had. Probably yell, say something horrible. Not cry. He wouldn't, because even though it hurt to hear that the man he was somehow stupidly in love with didn't love him back, he wouldn't cry over it like a little girl. Nope, Russell Agnew was stronger than that.

The shower water was a little too hot, scalding his skin, burning his tired muscles, but he liked it; the feeling grounding him and relaxing the tension between his shoulders. It didn't happen. He wasn't in love with him. It didn't happen. He didn't trust him. It didn't happen. He didn't need him. It didn't happen. He never kissed him… Russ's internal mantra as he scrubbed harshly at his face did little to release the painfully tight fisted grip on his heart, but there was no helping it.

It didn't happen…

It didn't happen… …

I didn't happen… … …

Screw Milt and screw his stupid handsome face. Screw his two-faced personality, and his 'trust me' smile. Russ wouldn't cry over a broken heart. Russ wouldn't cry damnit…

Squaring his shoulders with new resolve, Russ turned off the shower and stepped out into his thick steam filled bathroom. He'd out himself as an Omega. If he lost his job, so be it. Plus side, if he lost his job there was a less likely chance he'd be around Milt ever again. Alphas had terribly fragile egos, and a rebuff from an Omega generally didn't warrant them coming back for a second attempt, so he wasn't afraid of Milt going out of his way to bother him into changing his mind. And if he didn't lose his job, well, he could maybe talk to Guzie about not pairing them together as often. Over time Milt would realize that they weren't compatible, and that Russ really didn't like him to begin with… even if it was a lie… And over time Russ would realize that he wasn't really in love with the infuriatingly frustrating, egotistical asshole of an Alpha, and he'd just been confused by Omega instinct and hormones, or something…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

It took everything in Milt to keep from going after Russ when he took off at the stop light, but logic and reason won out, telling him that if he followed after Russ he would only manage to make things worse. Russ wouldn't be in any mood to listen to anything Milt might have to say now. Cursing his stupidity, and how he managed to stick a foot in it, Milt went back to the office, trying to not mope too much, which was hard, mind you.

Less than thirty minutes after Milt made up his brooding little home behind his desk, ignoring all the curious glances from across the hall since he came back alone, he saw Font get up from his desk and shrug on his jacket a confused expression on his face. He must be going to get Russ, Milt thought, still trying to figure out how he could fix this… What could he say to make it better? He refused to believe that there was no making it better…

No less than twenty more minutes had passed before Font and Russ walked into the building. Russ was wearing a different suit, only slightly different from the first, and looking straight ahead, not even glancing in on Milt as they passed. Milt still didn't know what to do, or what to say, but they had work to do, so he folded himself out of his chair and refused to acknowledge the suspicious look Rebecca, his assistant, gave him as he headed across the hall. He had a feeling she was sharper than the others, but could only hope she didn't notice how much of a fool he was making himself over some poorly chosen words.

He should have told Russ that he liked him. No, it wasn't love, not yet, but he could easily fall for the gruff older man. He'd thought that mentioning feelings would send Russ running, but maybe that's all it would have taken to keep him there, in Milt's passenger seat, in Milt's grip, breathing the same air.

Russ looked up at him with a surprised look that was quickly covered up by the look of mild annoyance that he often wore when Milt was concerned. Slowly, everything seemed to shift back to the way it was. Not the way it was in the car, or the way it was when Milt found out Russ' secret the first time, but back in the beginning when Russ saw Milt as an unnecessary nuisance. Milt's chest stung at the look, and suddenly he felt that there may not be a fixing this, allowing the dark thought that maybe that had been it, and he'd lost the chance to have anything more with this amazing man than a reluctant partnership when the two departments worked together.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

The interrogation of Joey Ferraro was a test of Russ' ability to push aside all his unease and complicated feelings towards Milt and remain professional. He'd like to think he did well in appearing like nothing had happened, and what Milt had said didn't matter to him at all. He'd repeated it enough in his head during the silent drive back to work, so it could feel a little bit like the truth by now. Font had tried starting up a conversation, but Russ' heart and head weren't in it, leaving his old partner to fall silent and cast worried looks in his direction when he thought Russ wasn't looking. Poor guy probably thought Milt and Russ had had a disagreement, and Russ was just being difficult. And really, wasn't that the gist of it?

Truth is, Russ liked Joey. Yeah, he knew he came across a little petty about the whole BBQ thing, but not being bothered by it seemed more suspicious. So to stay true to the character they set for him he focused on that not so sore spot. But there was something else, he felt like something about Joey's easy compliance was a little too easy and eager. There was something there; he just didn't know what…

Milt looked more relaxed now, not that he seemed any different than usual, but about fifteen minutes into the interrogation, something around his eyes eased and to Russ it seemed to make a world of difference. Milt had been worried about how things would be when Russ got back. Well, Russ was a professional, even if no one other than himself believed it. Soon the FBI Special Agent wouldn't have to worry about it. Once this case was over he'd go talk to Guize and tell her everything, not about him and Milt, not that there was anything to tell about him and Milt, since there was no him and Milt, but about the whole lying for years about being an Omega.

If Russ didn't lose his job he'd worry about the state of the working relationship between him and Milt later. There was also the whole telling the team thing. He'd like to think he knew them all pretty well, all laid back Betas, the lot of them. Holly, well, she'd probably be hurt that he hadn't told her sooner. There was also the nonexistent potential relationship thing between them… He didn't know what he'd do with himself if she cried in front of him, knowing that it was his fault… Then there was Milt… Well, maybe he could talk Guize into letting the man work with Font or Funk, anyone other than Russ really, without throwing up any red flags and making her suspicious about broke feelings and junk like that.

A little piece of Russ hoped that Jacocks, who he'd sent to the Detroit FBI Headquarters with a forged signature that Guize was bound to notice later, found out more on why Milt was really in Battle Creek, and that it would paint the man in an even more unflattering light in Russ' eyes. The thought of the man in question doing something bad enough to warrant being sent out of the way here made Russ queasy, knowing that a part of him could easily look past that, even if he said aloud that he couldn't. Russ needed a reason to not trust him. He needed a foundation for the death of such a fragile short lived love.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Since they were back to square one with nothing Milt could do to change that, he went along with it. Maybe he prodded and poked at Russ' buttons a little too viciously, but he was, though he'd never admit it, a child at heart in the worst brattiest way possible. So when Joey said he didn't do it, even though Milt was the one who suggested that maybe he did, Milt played the I believe him card after getting Russ on the 'it was Joey' train. And since he couldn't express himself as an adult, and didn't know how to get back to where they had been, he pushed Russ' buttons, lighting the man's anger and irritation up like an elevator panel.

When Font and Funk got back from searching Joey's place, he made sure to point out that Joey had consented without a warrant, watching Russ' face closely, and not missing how the man still didn't look convinced even with nothing there to point a guilty finger at Joey. Maybe it was the BBQ thing?

The talk of intimacy caught Milt a little by surprise, and that's when he decided to divide his attention between watching Russ' reactions and actively listening to what Funk had to say. After all, Milt knew how much Russ 'loved' hearing it.

"… Shayleen wouldn't even let me have one in the bedroom," Funk said, talking about how Joey had a TV in his bathroom of all places. "She said something about how it interferes with intimacy. You know what really interferes with intimacy? Always talking about what interferes with intimacy!" Milt couldn't suppress the short laugh, Funk making him think about how badly he screwed up and not talking about intimacy might just have been the cause. "Don't tell her I said that…"

"How's she feel about porn?" Font asked after a beat, and really, Milt saw his chance to push half of Russ' buttons right then.

"You know, the thing about intimacy is-"

"Stop!" Russ said cutting off Milt's view on something he honestly didn't know that much about first hand. Milt made sure took keep the amusement off his face as Russ responded in a predictable manner. "I'm sure you've got some brilliant advice on the value of trust and communication and rainbows in a relationship," Russ said, clearly irritated and frustrated about the case. Milt didn't miss the look of hurt that quickly passed over Russ' expression, easily missed if Milt's attention hadn't been solely on him once he cut him off, and maybe he might have pushed a bit too much. Russ, although he acted the opposite, wasn't faring much better after the incident from earlier. "But, I'm sure he'd much rather get back out on the street and find the dealer that was ripped off by Joey Ferraro…" Russ finished, his little outburst making Font stifle an amused smile and Funk eager to get back on task.

Milt watched them go, curious about Font's amusement, but eager to be left alone with the surliest Omega he'd ever met. Maybe, if he broached the subject right, he could glen how Russ really felt about the whole ordeal, other than insulted it seemed, from Milt's rather unromantic proposition. But first came the case…

"The evidence is pointing against your theory, Russ," Milt said instead of just asking if the right way to answer should have been 'I think I'm starting to fall in love with you' instead of 'I am a peculiar Alpha, you are an equally if not more peculiar Omega, nature dictates that we are compatible so we should just get it over with and hook up'.

"Yeah, that's why we need more evidence, Milt," Russ said back, saying Milt's name with a bit too much force as he stared back at him. Russ looked like he was about to come unraveled over the case, but Milt wondered if maybe it was being here alone in the room with him, only feet away from each other, trying to pretend that nothing happened, that everything was the way it was before. But Russ, clever as he was, covered up nicely, using his exclusion from the BBQ as a perfect cover for his loss of control over his feelings. "Those two were at the BBQ, weren't they?"

Russ was affected by him more than he let on; Milt knew this. But watching the man pace and fret, about the case, about the disaster that occurred between them, about Milt, made Milt wish more than anything that he could go back to the day before yesterday. Maybe that time around he could say the right thing. Maybe that time around Russ would stay, and they'd talk about feelings, instead of avoiding them like he had assumed Russ wanted.

' _You're in love with me then?'_

"Yeah," Milt said softly, answering the memory he'd give just about anything to go back and change, and the hopeless question about a BBQ that he was pretty sure Russ didn't care about.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ went straight to Guize after he left Milt. He made a quick exit, half expecting Milt to follow after him, but was relieved to find that he made it to her office alone. When he'd asked Milt about the BBQ, the question he really wanted to voice was completely different.

' _You're in love with me then?'_

He'd done so well, playing like things were normal, like being around Milt didn't hurt. He'd rejected the man, but didn't Milt kinda reject him first? Hearing Milt say yes to the spoken question was almost too much, because a part of Russ wanted it to be for the unspoken one. Maybe he'd get fired… then none of this would matter.

"Commander…" Russ said, rapping his knuckles on the frame of her door, steeling himself for what he was about to say. "I need to talk to you about something…"

She looked up at him with her look that told him that now was not the time. Guize cared a lot for kids, and the case involved a little girl who shouldn't even be mixed up with something like heroin in the first place. "Is it about the case?"

"No…" Russ answered slowly, watching as a few wrinkles settled between her brows.

"Can it wait?" She looked at him, really studied him for a second, noting how uncomfortable he looked, and maybe thought she was giving him a little break for the time being, but really, he'd like to have gotten this out of the way…

"Yeah…" he finally said, understanding that the case came first, and telling her now could potentially draw their focus away from where it should be. He could wait… He'd tell her after this was over… He'd tell her once he could prove that Joey was their guy, and no, it wasn't because of the BBQ…

The arrival of Milt in the bullpen drew their attention, and it was all focus back to the case at hand, where it belonged.

Milt's theory sounded farfetched and strange. Holly's face showed Russ that she thought so too. Guzie's face told him that she was more than happy to wait out any little tantrum Russ was likely to throw because of how idiotic he thought Milt's theory was. True to form, so he seemed like Russ 100% focused on solving this case, he made a little argument, and maybe Milt was just too tired to deal with his shit right now, but the jab about no one trusting Russ went with a whole bunch of other reasons why he shouldn't have feelings for the man.

No one trusted Russ because he lied to them… Everyone seemed to trust Milt, aside from Russ, because he lied to them. Funny how trust works that way…

The call from Font seemed almost eerily timed; Russ was both thankful and put out by the idea of having to go anywhere with Milt again in the same day, driving in the same car.

It was also some weird dumb luck that they met Jacocks on their way out. He waved Milt away, telling him to go on ahead as he drew Erin towards the side of the stairwell. 'Give me a damn good reason to hate that man,' he wanted to say, but waited, not really in a hurry to drive out there with Milt.

"So, what do ya got?" Russ asked, voice low, watching as the closest thing to a protégée he's ever had sighed back at him patiently.

"His old boss said that he was one of the best agents he ever worked with, and he hated to see him go," she answered dutifully. Damnit… where was the bad news… he needed the bad news… more reasons for why his feelings were unfounded and unwarranted. "But he was lying," she quickly added, drawing his attention back to her. "I think," she added as if an afterthought.

"I knew it," Russ said, not being able to hide how even that little bit of information could change everything. If the man lied, it had to be for a reason. Russ would find out that reason. "I knew there was something fishy about that transfer."

"But more importantly, who cares? There's nothing you can do about it, and your gonna have to work together. So there's no point in stirring up trouble."

Russ almost told her that he cared, that if Milt was nearly as trustworthy and honest as he pretended to be that there wouldn't be any trouble to stir up. Instead he asked, "If you really believed that then why did you go to the seminar?" He knew the answer, but found her matter of fact response and look of 'you crazy' too good to miss out on.

"Because it's the FBI," she said, sounding excited as she started to tell him about some kind of lie detecting eye laser. What he wouldn't give to have one of those handy when trying to get information from Milt…

"That's great, thanks," he responded, dismissing her while trying to sound excited for her, but falling a little short at the thought of how catching Milt in a lie wasn't the hard part since everything he said was a lie. Getting the truth was the hard part, and no lie laser eye thing was going to get him any quicker to that point.

"Russ," she called his name as he went to turn and leave, bringing his attention back to her before she spoke again in a quieter tone. "Are you sure this isn't just about trying to bring him down a notch in Holly's eyes?"

"This has nothing to do with Holly. This is about whether or not I trust the man," he said honestly, aware that she was studying his face, possibly trying to utilize some of the lie detection methods they'd brought up during the seminar.

"Okay," Erin said, sounding a little perplexed, after having found nothing to imply he was lying, since he wasn't. She had been expecting something; he knew what that something was. Jacocks was always trying to connect the relationship dots between him and Holly. Maybe his honesty to her question would help her stop trying to do that, since there was not and never would be anything between him and Holly. "Good to know." She looked more curious now than anything.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

The ride out to where Font and Funk were was quiet. Milt didn't say anything, and Russ didn't really feel like breaking the silence either. After witnessing the little display of drug dealer resourcefulness and Font's explanation that the alley was on the direct route the girl took to school, Russ was ready to toss these guys in a cell and call it a night.

Russ didn't know whether to give them a gold star for ingenuity or a pair of silver handcuffs for the simple fact that they were sleazy lowlifes who pretty much destroyed his theory. Not that that was important, not really. What was important was that they were on a new track that might be more right than Russ had wanted to believe.

Then there's the whole, Milt the bilingual show off, speaking Spanish to the surprise of no one… Well, maybe Russ was the only one who wasn't really surprised. He also wasn't the least bit impressed… Nor did he find the idea of Milt being fluent in French or Italian the least bit attractive… And the fact that he had probably been to places that Russ couldn't even afford to go on his short vacations adding a whole annoyingly worldly aspect to him. He'd been to a lot of places, seen a whole lot of things, Russ was sure, and yet he'd found Russ to be a well-matched mate… The proposition in the SUV still left a bitter taste in Russ' mouth, still feeling hurt by the fact that the man who did nothing but talk about feelings could lay out a potential relationship between them where feelings weren't involved at all.

Yeah, anyways, so thanks to the worldly and clever bilingual Milt, the drug dealers revealed themselves to be Dominican, giving Milt's theory just that much more possibility.

Russ was finding it hard to not be impressed, he was sure it showed on his face as he echoed what they'd just been told by the dealers themselves. Also, his list for reasons to not love Milt was looking comparably smaller to the reasons why he couldn't help but have feelings for him…

Damnit…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt called Russ early the next morning, giving him directions to where they would be meeting his snitch. He had wanted to try talking, especially after the looks Russ kept giving him last night, but Font had offered Russ a lift home, and the older man readily agreed, obviously tired after the day they'd had.

Milt was just finishing up a set of pushups when Russ wandered across the field slurping on a to-go-cup and wearing a pair of black sweat pants and a thin grey sweatshirt with the sleeves cut to about a quarter length. To Milt he looked adorable.

"Ah, good morning, Russell," Milt greeted, as he finished up, planning on starting today off on a better foot than they'd spent most of the day before. "Sorry about the early wake-up call and drive, but Al doesn't like to snitch over the phone."

He watched Russ as he wandered over to the weights that Milt had brought with him, picking up the 20lbs before placing it back down and opting for the 10, giving Milt the perfect view of his ass. So what if yesterday he'd just about screwed up the potential something that was between them? But with the new day came new resolve, and Milt was determined more than ever to fix things and get back on track. Hell, he'd tell Russ he loved him every day if he thought that'd help… but he wasn't quite there yet and figured the white lie would do more bad than good, especially now, if Russ thought that Milt was telling him what he thought he wanted to hear. Hell, Milt may have read the whole thing wrong, and Russ really didn't like him at all, which would make a rocky start for Milt's Woo Russ Plan B.

"You gonna tell me there's no diners or any other place in Detroit that we can meet him without having to change our clothes?" Russ asked, not really sounding bothered by the drive or the early hours, just confused as to why they were there in the first place instead of somewhere like he'd meet Teddy.

"Well yeah, but I figured we had a busy day ahead of us, might as well kill two birds," Milt answered, not really sure if the breathlessness was just from the 100 reps he did or another reason entirely. "Oh, and Al's not a he. Her name's Alexandra, but she hates being called that," Milt added, completely forgetting to tell Russ who his informant was other than a name, so of course Russ would be thinking of Al as a guy.

"Oh." There she was now. Even in her tight little workout clothes, the young Alpha cheerleader didn't really do anything for him, not like Russ in his baggy sweats.

"She also hates secret rendezvous at 7:00 am, especially the morning after a game," she quipped as she stopped next to them, studying Russ with a curious side eye that made Milt a bit jealous as Russ shared her interest. Russ was regarding her with an open curious expression, not like a man looking at one of the most attractive women he'd ever met, but as a detective who didn't know informants came in this particular model. Nothing to be jealous about at all, or so it seemed.

"The game finished at 10 o'clock," Milt responded, glancing at Russ before looking back at Al with a fond smile, really not liking the predatory eyes she kept casting at Russ. Russ smelt Beta, for the most part, making things not as bad as they could be. Al had a thing for rough looking Betas so an Omega like Russ would be right up her alley.

"Which is when the real party begins," she responded in a sultry voice, smiling up at Russ as she wiggled her way into a few low stretches, trying to keep the man's attention. Milt couldn't have that, now could he?

"Detroit Pistons cheerleader," Milt offered in way of explanation as Russ looked away from Al, who might as well be doing an intricate mating dance the way she kept dipping into stretches and tossing her honey colored hair around, while keeping her eyes on his Omega.

"You're snitch is an NBA cheerleader?" Russ said almost incredulously, and Milt couldn't fight the smile at Russ' tone. Russ was jealous. Milt knew why.

"You got a problem with that?" Al was standing straight now brushing the hair out of her face, offended by Russ' tone.

"Nah, I got a problem with that," Russ answered bluntly, and Milt was smiling bright and wide now. "The problem I got is that my snitch is a fat, annoying, hairy moron…" Russ continued, looking away from both of them like the world was a cruel and unusual place. Milt understood completely. He'd met Teddy. Teddy was an abysmal snitch.

What Al had to say wasn't pretty. Leave it to Russ to see the upside in a situation that really shouldn't have one.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Talking to the parents again bore fruit, unlike last time. Fear worked magic on people who cared deeply about things they were trying to protect, in this case a 10 year old little girl who refused to spill the beans.

Russ regarded the parents with a sense of wonder, never having had this when he was her age, or ever, actually. The only person who ever had his back in his younger years was Meredith, and now he had his team, and dare he say Milt. He hated that it came to this, but he was out of ideas; and if asking nicely didn't get them to shed some helpful light on the case then this would do. Scarring a little girl made him feel like a monster, but he had to become that monster to protect her from the real ones.

Russ didn't even call Milt out on the lie he told by saying he never lied. He didn't even chuckle. His face didn't even twitch. If he wanted them to believe the Agent, he had to believe him too, if just for now. The mother had already proven to be sharp and still wasn't over their last few meetings, not balking from throwing barbs at his character whenever she could.

Milt's charm and wide-eyed trust won them over in the end. Russ'd like to think that his silent face of agreement helped. Too bad the little girl wasn't on board. If Russ ever needed a secret keeper he found her.

The fact that Milt assumed his suggestion had anything to do with beating or threatening her made another mark on the 'reasons why not to like Milt' list. If the man thought so little of him, why even bother partnering up with him in the first place?

Of course, this gave Russ a new idea. After all, they weren't all little girls.

Russ got Milt to stop by his apartment as he changed into what the team called his 'civilian clothes', which consisted of a normal black Henley, some thoroughly loved jeans, and his favorite black canvas jacket, before they headed back to the station. Milt cast him a curious look, but didn't ask aloud why Russ needed to change. Russ was pretty sure he knew. Being an Omega that couldn't be an Omega sucked, and he almost looked forward to after he sat down and had that talk with Guize.

He climbed back into the SUV, freshly scented with Beta blocker and more comfortably clothed, ignoring Milt's-dare he say-appreciative glance. He didn't have time for that. Neither of them did. The drive back to the station was a quiet one.

This 'not-interrogation' went in a favorable direction. Russ was actually enjoying himself. Something between himself and Milt had shifted once again without him even realizing it. The more he struggled to go back to not caring for the man the more he wedged himself deeper in Russ' heart. They shared playful banter and little smiles as they worked one of the easiest going and frighteningly nice interrogations Russ had ever been a part of. Then again, it didn't really feel like an interrogation, just friendly chit chat that didn't sit so well with their captive Dominican drug dealer.

They got what they were looking for in the end, because the poor guy didn't want to die after getting a friendly ride home from the nice cops who decided to let him go. So he rejected their offer to drop him off in Milt's FBI issued SUV quite vehemently and told them exactly what they needed to know.

Russ couldn't really remember whose idea it had been to go in as a couple; it may have been a suggestion from Jacocks. Thinking back now as he stood outside their target's door holding a plate of brownies with a gun hidden underneath with Milt close behind him with a fern disguised as a thoughtful housewarming gift also blocking a gun from view, he might not have protested the idea nearly as much as he normally would have. Now that he thought about it, it had been Jacocks… She'd smirked the whole time, eyeing his face closely, and unlike how he'd usually argue, Russ just nodded before agreeing that it might work fine, Milt's hand on his shoulder mildly distracting at the time.

Now with Milt smiling beside him, the look of a besotted doting husband/boyfriend on his disturbingly handsome face, Russ rang the buzzer getting ready to meet his new 'neighbor'. He glanced back at Milt with a look that he hoped read across the monitor to their target as infatuated and harmless as well as eager to meet new people. Milt's smile grew fonder, softening around the edges, looking real, even to Russ, and Russ could feel his own smile slipping into something more natural. Take that Ms. Snodgrass from ninth grade drama. Russ was super good at acting!

So maybe they weren't that convincing, since the guy bolted, but Russ thought it was probably a strong sense of paranoia and not that he and Milt couldn't pull off the couple thing. Not that Russ wanted to be able to pull off the couple thing… Jeez… Enough with the couple thing!

In the end they got their man, but something about the easy arrest without a single shot fired, though awesome, left Russ feeling a bit off. As the whole department gathered in Milt's office to partake in milk and brownies, courtesy of Font, Russ couldn't shake the feeling that something wasn't right, that they weren't done with this case just yet. Anyways, he guessed he should probably apologize to Joey, while he was at it… Maybe let him know that the missed BBQ invite wasn't a big deal, and he was sorry for coming on a bit harsh…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt watched Russ approach Joey with a reluctant expression, eyes downcast. As the Omega talked to the Alpha, Milt felt the familiar tinge of jealousy flare in his gut, and decided it was best to just not look in their direction. Russ' actions seemed repentant, not suggestive, same as Joey's, so there was really no reason for Milt to be jealous over what he was sure an apology from both parties.

Milt busied himself with getting a brownie and a glass of milk, before turning to have a seat at his desk a little ways away from the group of hard working police, but was stopped just inside his office doorway by the appearance of Erin Jacocks. The look on the detective's face told him that she was here on a mission of some sort, eyes full of determination. Milt wasn't sure how the hierarchy of Battle Creek's Police Force worked; but he got the distinct feeling that Jacocks had been assigned to Russ maybe back when she was a rookie, because Milt could see a lot of Russ in the tiny beta, especially in the shrewd way they regarded other people.

He'd known about the seminar that she got sent to, and wasn't overly surprised when she brought up Ken Bromberg, his old super, her smile big and disarming. He should have also expected the shift in conversation, knowing as well why she'd been sent to the seminar and who had sent her. The shift in her demeanor caught him a little by surprise though as she suddenly accused/questioned him about a possible infidelity with his old boss's wife that did not happen thank you very much…

Rumors were a terrible thing, and if left unchecked could cause some irreparable damage in certain cases. So Milt saw he had two options here, now faced with the rumor gods only know who started. Milt played a dangerous game as he lied to Jacocks about the whole affair that never happened. She said that his secret was safe with her, but he knew that she'd share what she learned with Russ. This would make another strike against him in Russ' book, he knew, but the lie about the affair was far better than the truth…

Although the reason was wrong his emotions were honest. What he said, how he felt, they were true and so very real. He did feel horrible, and there was nothing to make up for it. His actions had been inexcusable, and he'd have to live with their outcome for the rest of his life. He really wanted that clean slate, a new start in a small town, maybe a future with someone special to share it with, but a part of him would always know he didn't deserve any of it.

Milt didn't have time to dwell on the encounter, because the Commander was there with the lab reports letting them know that the job wasn't done, the case wasn't finished. By the look Russ cast in his direction, the man had felt this coming for a while, although not together pleased that he'd been right.

At least this would keep them busy. Keep Russ and Jacocks from talking over what Jacocks thought she knew. Keep Russ from seeing him in an even darker light than he already did… He had to remind himself that the truth was far more unflattering than the lie…

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ would like to bring forth the fact, once again, that he got no joy from scaring kids, or making little girls cry… but Katori was a hard nut to crack. So hard that she didn't crack even after dragging her and her parents down into the morgue to try and show her why she should feel fear over the situation she'd gotten into. But the ten year old was strong and brave, still refusing to give them anything. Russ recognized what it looked like when someone was trying to protect someone, despite everything else. Everything else was just consequence by that point.

That almost half-forgotten feeling was back, the one that wouldn't go away when they had supposedly cracked the case the first time. She must really care about this person, because nothing bought silence like love, not even fear.

So Russ pushed, not feeling a damn bit good about any of this. He couldn't look at the parents, because he didn't want to see their love and worry for their little girl. He didn't look at Milt, knowing the man wore a harsh disapproving glare. He just stared at Katori, talking to her like the little adult she was trying so hard to be in the face of Russ' efforts.

No, Russ didn't enjoy any of this… He could feel the Omega in him wrestling with the detective who knew what had to be done. This was what he'd always feared, his true nature clashing with his assumed persona. He'd buried it deep, but Milt's scratching at the surface, prying his fingers into the cracks of the walls that surrounded Russ like thick barriers made of lies and secrets, let in a light, let it breathe itself back into existence.

Soon… Soon it would be over, one way or another, he reminded himself as he studied Katori's tear streaked face from the other side of the prone body, a makeshift barrier between them. Milt practically vibrated behind him with disapproval, but Russ couldn't afford the worry over it. Maybe this would be the tipping point. Maybe now Milt would reevaluate what he'd thought about Russ being suited for him and back off, choose someone else from now on, leaving Russ to get over the closest thing he'd felt to heartbreak in such a very long time.

The more Katori said she couldn't the worse Russ felt, but he kept pushing; his own eyes growing misty, and his scent spiking in displeasure in his own nose. It was the scent of a distressed Omega. Russ wasn't surprised when she stayed silent. He had just one more straw he was grasping too, hoping that this one would break the proverbial camel's back, but didn't really bank on that happening. His voice was uneven, distress coloring his words. Hurting a child, even like this, going against his naturally ingrained instincts, both as a cop and an Omega.

Russ stayed silent as he watched Katori being led away in cuffs, trying to remind himself that this was to keep her safe. Her upset parents followed quickly after, neither of them looking at Russ, and he understood why. But it was getting harder to pretend being the bad tough cop and having people automatically dislike and distrust him all the time didn't bother him.

For his credit, Milt stayed silent a whole thirty seconds after the door closed leaving them alone in Meredith's lair. He ignored the rough clearing of a throat behind him, but instead of turning to face Milt head on, he opted to pull the sheet back over the kid, whose name was Oliver, by the way. Oliver had been a junior in high school, part of the band, had a close knit group of friends, and been on the honor roll… Then Oliver had fallen into bad company, and now Oliver was here. Nobody expected him to know, and most people probably thought he didn't care. But Russ cared a lot… He cared so damn much, and the thought of losing this job, this chance to make a difference, made him sick.

Milt spoke, finally, as Russ slowly slid Oliver's tray back in before closing the door and latching it shut. "Russ…" It was just his name spoken softly, in a voice so different than the one Milt had used while voicing his protests only minutes ago. Russ didn't dare look back at the man; his eyes still had moisture collected in the corners. Milt made that decision for him though as he took Russ by the shoulders, turning Russ to face him slowly, gently.

And for the second time this week, two days in a row, after being alone and maybe just a bit touch starved, Milt was kissing him again, and for a moment Russ let him.

With trembling hands Russ pushed firmly at Milt's chest, easing the confused man back, even though Milt still refused to release his hold on Russ' shoulders. Maybe he was afraid Russ would run if he did. Maybe he was right…

"No, this isn't going to become a thing," Russ said, trying to put some hardness in his voice, because right now he just felt an overwhelming sadness at what he was about to do. He couldn't keep doing this, knowing that it wasn't right, and that he'd never get over whatever hang-up he had over Milt emotionally if he kept letting the Alpha jerk him around however he liked. "You can't keep doing 'that' every time I get upset… It's not helping anyone… not me, and not you."

"Russ, I…"

"No, I don't need you to tell me what you think I want to hear right now. In the car, when you said that we were compatible, you were wrong. I'm not the right kind of Omega for you," Russ said all this finally meeting Milt's eyes, determination making his voice stronger. In truth he just couldn't handle the nice side of Milt companioned with kisses that held no meaning for a man who wasn't looking for feelings and attachments. The niceness made it harder to handle the string of when Milt was displeased and lashed out at him with sharp words and cutting looks. Russ'd rather this all just be over. He may not know much about being an Omega, and nothing of being an Omega in an Alpha-Omega pair, but he knew one thing for certain: this wasn't what he wanted, what he needed. But saying that wasn't enough, Milt's determined gaze telling him that much. So Russ kept going, almost choking on the lie as it tumbled off his lips. "And you're not the right Alpha for me. Even if you were, I don't feel anything positive for you, so this won't work."

Milt released him like he had just caught fire, a deep hurt settling in his eyes. Rejected two days in a row must have been hard. Rejecting him two days in a row wasn't easy. But Russ couldn't do this. Wouldn't let himself want someone who wouldn't want him back in the same way. He wanted more than a mate. He deserved a soul mate… If he couldn't have that, then maybe he was meant to be alone like he thought before Milt came crashing through a wall into his tiny little world.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Milt let Russ turn and leave, hands hanging uselessly by his sides. He'd misjudged the whole day and screwed everything up royally, or so it seemed. He shouldn't have kissed Russ... not again… but he just couldn't stop himself, the scent of distress rolling off of Russ in droves, urging him into action to soothe. A lot of good that did him. Milt still didn't know how everything turned out like this. Normally he was so smooth, this being only the second time he'd ever really been rejected, especially like this, both times by the same Omega…

The feeling of losing grip on the situation was almost physical, like a rope being tugged out of his clenched hands. It looked to be over before it even began, and Milt was left feeling lost.

That's how Meredith found him, the Alpha M.E.'s eyes dark and curious as she came in. He didn't have to say anything, the look on her face saying she knew enough without his words. She was rather astute like that.

As he went to leave, walking past her stiffly, he heard her say after him as he went through the door.

"It's just like baseball, three strikes and you're out. Don't give up on him just yet…"

Milt turned sharply at her words, caught off-guard by how she'd hit the nail square on the head. Either she really was that perceptive, or she just knew Russ that well. She waved him on, smiling a soft encouraging smile. Right as he'd turned back to leave she caught him with another curve ball.

"Oh, and Milt, maybe try not to jump the gun, and handle it like a real Special Agent, not a jittery rookie on a coffee binge. Russ, well, he's different. Slow and steady; be the tortoise and not the hare."

He took those words to heart.

~ MILT X RUSS ~

Russ ignored all of the odd looks he kept getting as he made his way back to Guize. He knew what the looks were for; he could smell it himself, but he couldn't be bothered. He kept replaying that moment in the morgue over and over in his head. He didn't feel liberated by shutting down whatever the thing was… had been… between him and Milt. If anything he felt a little lost. He'd done the right thing, he was sure of it, but why did it make him feel so… broken…?

He didn't have any more time than that to dwell, however, because right as he got to the Commander, who's nostrils flared at the sudden intrusion of a new and unusual scent while she looked at him with an unreadable expression, Holly popped out of nowhere, which she claimed to have been the evidence lock-up. They didn't get much of an explanation as she proceeded to usher them towards Milt's office, where the Alpha in question paced furiously, hands shoved deep in his pockets without a care of wrinkling his fancy suits. Russ felt no swell of pride over it; it was probably his fault the Alpha was like this.

A light touch to his arm had his attention focusing back on his Commander, who held his eyes with a steady gaze. Her face told him what she didn't have to put into words. They were going to be having that talk she'd unknowingly put off very soon. He gave a slight nod, tearing his eyes away from the grim line of her mouth. Casting a glance at Holly, who lead them into Milt's anti-chamber type setup, Russ could only feel relieved that she was too worked up over what she'd found to catch his scent and realize what would soon become common knowledge… Small blessings… She meant too much to him as a friend, and this was a conversation he wanted to have by telling her himself instead of letting her find out any other way.

Thanks to Holly they had proof, or as close to it, that it was indeed Joey Ferraro. Russ was glad it was going to be over, but he felt sick over what the man had let his own ten-year-old niece go through to keep his secret…

Back in the bull-pen, while Guize had her talk with Joey, the one he didn't really agree with, Russ tried to make himself look busy while also trying to not steal glances across the hall into Milt's glass office. He was doing a poor job at the first, and putting forth a valiant effort on the second. That's how Jacocks found him.

"He had an affair," she said bluntly coming to stand by him as he watched Joey leave the Commander's office, "with his boss's wife. That's why he got transferred here. You're welcome." Now she sounded pleased with herself and her obviously thought job well done. It took Russ a moment to get with the program on what exactly she was talking about, having completely given up on trying to find a reason to dislike the man for good. But something about that reason just seemed too… not Milt.

"Who told you that?" he found himself asking, voice low and a little raspy.

"Milt," she responded simply, as if there was nothing wrong with her source. His face must have gave something away, because she continued as if she needed to add grounds to make it the truth. "He admitted it when I confronted him. He said he was ashamed of what he did, and he was hoping to start over with a clean slate. And I think you should let him." She said sincerely, leaning in, and not so subtly breathing in the scent that had been the cause of non-stop confusion since he gave up on trying to cover it up an hour ago.

In that moment Russ knew that she knew. He knew that the leaning in had just been to confirm what she already suspected. He could see it in her eyes. Surprisingly, it looked less like betrayal and more like sudden understanding.

"Okay…" he said, voice still low, and he wasn't sure if he was answering the suggestion of cutting Milt a little slack, or asking if they were okay. Maybe it was a little of both as she responded with her own 'okay'. She looked ready to say something else, but the click of Guize's heels on the tiled floor broke the moment. She didn't look pleased. Call him a coward, but he really hopped that look was aimed more at whatever she had gotten from Joey, and less at what he had failed to tell her for all of their years working in close quarters…

In the end, they got their man. The right one this time… Russ didn't think that anyone felt the joy of victory on a case closed. He knew he didn't.

Russ just wanted to go home and sleep, but he had a drive to make, if Guize let him wait until the morning. No more Beta spray or scent blockers. He wanted to have the talk with her as himself, as much as he could what with suppressants still playing havoc in his system. There was no telling how long it would take for them to fully wear off, or what kind of damage they'd done long term. The headaches and nausea had lessened, but he should probably go in and get himself checked out… something he wasn't looking forward to.

Guize let him go with one word-'tomorrow'-as Milt pulled the SUV back into his space in front of their building, and Russ knew that this was it, that in the morning he'd be coming clean. Russ was out of the car before both the Commander and Milt, far too eager to be out of the spacious SUV that seemed far too small when shared with the two Alphas.

He managed to leave the precinct early, Guize's orders. He guessed she wanted to have that talk before his scent gave too much more away. He didn't see Holly on his way out, so there was no talking to her before the Commander.

Now he found himself in Detroit. Even though he was done with Milt, a part of him needed to know. He just didn't want to think about why… He didn't believe for one second in the affair bull shit, and maybe he was back to obsessing over Milt's transfer like he had before the whole mess with feelings happened. He was safer believing it was that than the fact that a part of him kind of really cared whether or not Milt was capable of infidelity, not that it really mattered now, but still…

Bromberg was a grade A asshole, much like most Alphas. But hearing what he had to say settled something inside of Russ that he refused to inspect. The talk did nothing but point out Milt's merits even more strongly, not really answering why exactly he was there, and highlighted what Russ already knew. Milt was a charming man, a good liar, and stupidly brave. And Russ was most assuredly in love with him, even though he knew that he couldn't be.

~ Fin ~

Sorry for the wait! Hope it was long enough. I'm thinking of merging Part A and B, but guess I'll back off for now. I may release an Omnibus instead, once this is complete!


End file.
